A Black Tail Tale
by Mr. Dot
Summary: After the Monster Association, peace is back on Earth, but Saitama isn't happy. How could he be? With no challenge, he's just back in his old depression! But strange, new characters come to Earth from space, and he could find just what he seeks, and even a little more.
1. Chapter 1

It was a magnificent day at Z-City. The sun shone, the birds chirped and everything was peace and quiet. It was like this from the all that Monster Association nonsense. The poor Misterious Beings had learned a bit of their lesson back then, Dragon-level monstrosities splattered all over walls made for one hell of a argument, and decided that lay low for a time was the sensible choice to make.

And so, cities were rebuilt, damages repaired and, why the hell not, monuments to the great heroes of the Association were raised. They deserved it. They had saved the world, after all.

And so, between flashes of photographs, ribbons cut and shaken hands, peace had settled over poor old Earth once again, and this time it looked like it was here to stay.

And that meant that Saitama was a lizard.

He was, really. Or at least, that was what he was convinced of, laying with his head over the small table in his living room.

It was barely chill outside, but he had still cranked his heating up, put on his pajamas, sunk into his futon and literally hugged his electric blanket. He had done all of that by reflex alone, without thinking. When he had noticed, he decided that it wasn't worth the effort to change something.

Alright, he lied. He hadn't put up his pajamas, he simply hadn't chanched clothes from when he had woken up. What was the point anyway? At least, like this he was warm and cozy. Lizards liked the warmth.

It was an equation, really. The more the world was threatened, full of dangers and wackos flying around, the more he felt a bit of his old energy back, that small prickling hope that gave him the strenght to open the door and step into a new day. The more it was peaceful, the more he felt himself like an old sock left out to dry after a dog went to town over it. His old depression, coming back in all of its majestic glory. He was so numb that he didn't even feel guilty anymore for the small part of him that wanted for something to blow up already.

Genos had passed five times already from the start of the day, but he couldn't muster the strenght to go and open the door. What was the point anyway? No hero, no Saitama, no world-destructing punch. He was a lizard, taking the warmth in.

He had liked to hear this or that S-Class being complimented for this or that victory, but right now even the tv felt more like an annoyance than anything else.

Did he has to the grocery store today? He couldn't remember if he had enough salt. Oh, but who cared? The world was a grey, boring place, and he had nothing at all to do.

Saitama closed his eyes, and took in the heat. Lizard.

Far away from Saitama's apartment and personal purgatory, a small spaceship was in the middle of landing. It looked like it had come out from a bad alien movie, one of those with the Ufo made like flying plates with a bump on top. It had a series of small lights all around too, probably for scenographic purposes only, since it was full day.

Still, despite its little creativity in the design department, the small ship landed with barely a hitch and not a sound right in the middle of an open field, with none in sight to see.

A ramp opened up on a side, letting out a gout of steam, probably for more scenographic effect, and a figure walked out.

It wasn't exotic and full of misteries like an ET nor awe-inspiring like some tentacular monsters. In fact, it wasn't impressive at all. The alien looked like a tall woman swathed into a black cloak that made her look like she was floating above the ground. A technological visor covered the top half of her head, enclosing it like a helmet. The front was made of a substance that looked like glass. Behind her, a scaly black tail flickered softly in the air. All in all, not exactly what one would imagine to see into a space-opera.

The alien took in the field before her, some symbols flashing briefly over her visor.

"So this is the Earth, uh?" She said. Her voice was deep, and held a hint of curiosity. More symbols flashed, and a smile settled on her face. "I like it. It has a quaint feeling."

"That's what you say about any new planet you visit, Your Majesty." Sighed a rough voice from inside the ship. There was a creaking of plates, and a mass of fur pushed itself out from the opening, disregarding the fact that, logically speaking, there should't have been enough space inside for it.

The alien, that had descended on the field, chuckled good-naturedly. "Pull my leg, OFF. I don't get to go out very much."

OFF replied with a grunt, setting himself down on the grass. He scratched his ear and flicked his nose, taking the air in.

"I don't like it. It stinks." He judged with finality, and scratched himself again to emphasize.

He was tall good six meters and large at least two. And, well, he was a giant rabbit that walked on the back legs and had a scowling expression. Sure, the bulky armor and big scar over his face gave him a bit of a "futuristic mercenary" vibe, but, yeah, giant rabbit.

The alien chuckled again. "Mercury?"

OFF sniffed, and threw a glance at the opening. "Must be sleeping again, that good-for-nothing…" The rest of his comment went lost in the grumbling as he climbed back the ramp and pushed a voluminous arm inside. He gave a hearty rummaging around, until something inside gave a shriek that felt like someone had crushed a bunch of pieces of glass inside a blender.

OFF grunted and, drawing back his arm, threw to the ground a little black thing. It was a sort of small cloud made of what looked to be black dust that revolved around a solid core. It tumbled into the grass a couple of times, before coming to a rest with an indignant "hey!"

"OFF, you old oaf! Where you learned manners!" It protested with a shrill little voice, pixel-like dust angrily swirling about.

OFF just grunted irritably, jumping down from the ship and grasping at the thing. He started to mould it like a piece of rubber, at the shrill voice's indignant protests.

"Enough, you two." The alien chided with a smile. "I found him." She added, turning to look to the horizon.

OFF gave the black thing a last good squeeze before making it bounce off the ground like a ball. The core elongated and changed shape as it turned back up, having taken a somewhat humanoid shape when OFF grabbed it back again.

"So, we're doing this right now?" He grumbled, giving the little shape some more adjustements.

"Of course." The alien nodded. "That's why i am here."

OFF gave an affirmative grunt and let the now humanoid shape fall io the ground.

The alien's visor sparkled with some more symbols, and the space around was distorted by a series of fizzles that looked like informatic errors.

Mercury's shrill voice had just started to complain about the rough treatment when the trio was enveloped by distortions and disappeared, leaving the field empty.

Shopping bags in both hands, Genos peered at the building where his master had been holing up for two weeks.

He was too much robot to give in to emotions, - useful trait for his kind of job - but right now that rule was being stretched thin.

Master was prone to depressions, a trait that he attributed to counter-effects from his crazy strenght, but this bout was the longest yet.

He had done his research. On his pc, he had two folders full of data only about Master, from his alimentary habits to hygiene levels, from observations of his power to battle performance reviews. He even researched the games he liked to play, with somewhat concerning results about Master's sentimental life. Someone could have called it stalkering, but he did all of that only to understand Master's strenght and, in time, manage to emulate him, even if only a little.

And yet, he still couldn't understand what exactly laid at the bottom of Master's mind. Of course, Saitama was a proud defender of justice, an example of virtues and strenght that never ceased to ispire him. Genos had put that judgement as the foundation of his exam of Master. But the basic logic still eluded him. Why exactly Saitama was taken by periodic depressions? And why now was he in such a lethargic state?

He couldn't completely understand, and that concerned him. He couldn't help him like that. At best, he could make conjectures. Maybe Master felt without an objective now that villains have seemed to disappear? Considering his gallant and brave streak, it would make somewhat of a sense. Pursuing strenght with such a passion and being unable to make use of it must have been…

His internal detectors went crazy with high-level energy detections. Genos left the bags fall, snapping to look east, his battle-hardened instict powering all of his weapons without coscient thought.

There were people in the middle of the road, and he was sure that there wasn't nobody a second earlier.

Core raising in level of powers, Genos watched them. It was a strange trio. The central one, what it looked to be a woman, with a strange visor and with a cape closed around its body. It didn't escape him the tail trailing behind her. At her right, a sort of mass of pizel-like black dust in the form of a humanoid, sorrounded by a sparse cloud of the same substance. Two golden light peered at him from where a human would have the eyes, with what seemed to be curiosity. And the third… Genos blinked quickly. Was that a giant rabbit?

He didn't move when the door of the building he was surveilling opened.

"Master." He greeted, looking at Saitama with only the tail of an eye. "It seems that we have visitors."

Saitama, in his superhero uniform to Genos' secret relief, just made an affirmative sound, looking at the strange trio with his usual blank face.

"Ah, i see that you received my message." The visored woman nodded with a smile.

Genos frowned, but Saitama only scratched his head.

"Message? What are you talking about?"

The woman chuckled softly, but changed topic. "I think that presentations are in order. I am Blacktail. Because i have a tail and it's black." She showed the long appendage to emphasize, and chuckled again. "And these are my bodyguards, Mercury." The humanoid shape gave a cheerful greeting. "And OFF." The giant rabbit grunted, watching them suspiciously.

The woman smiled at them, wide and clear. "Nice to meet you. Saitama and Genos, right? Feel free to correct me if i am wrong."

Saitama and Genos exchanged a look. What in the blue was happening right now?

"Well, yes..."

"Marvelous." The woman gave a little bounce, looking very pleased. "You're somewhat famous from where we live. Especially you, Saitama."

The Caped Baldy blinked, surprised. "Me?"

The woman nodded, good-naturedly. "Enough to attract my own curiosity. I may not look like it, but i am kind of a big shot in the wider galaxy."

Genos needed a moment to realize all the implications. "You're not of this planet…"

It was less of a question and more of a costatation, and Genos raised his level energies of one rank after the woman nodded.

Saitama snapped his fingers, looking like he had just remembered something.

"Oh! So you know that guy from the other time."

"Boros, yes." The woman's smile took a somewhat impressed edge. "When the news that someone on this planet had defeated him, i was curious to see the earthling that accomplished such a thing." She shrugged, a motion barely visible with her heavy cloak. "I was on vacation, so i said: why not? Let's go and take a look." She turned slighty to Saitama. "I can see how you defeated him."

Saitama was already looking about to say thank you like an embarassed corporate clerk, but Genos cut him off.

"What you want?" He asked coldly. He didn't trust these strange people.

The woman turned at him, smile unfazed. "Well, i am curious, simply. I want to see what the one that defeated Boros can do." She cocked her head for a moment, like she was listening to something. "And with one punch? Marvelous."

Genos felt his gut clench. Something was giving him an eerie feeling about this.

"So, what did you say, mr. Saitama. Do you want to indulge me? Only a bout or two, that's all i ask. Just to see for myself."

Saitama hesitated. "Well…" He didn't really want to hit a woman. It felt somewhat impolite. And this gal didn't look very threatening, if he had to be honest.

"Some hesitation? Understandable." The woman conceded amiably. "Let's do this, then. If you beat me, i won't destroy this planet, how about it?"

The tension, that until that moment had been steadying, returned a hundred fold.

Genos was istantly into a battle stance, all his weapons snapping open and filling with energy.

OFF and Mercury had jumped into action also, both having moved to stand before Blacktail in a protective stance.

"Back off, junk. That's not your business." OFF grunted.

"Well, it's his planet too. I say that it's business alright." Mercury tittered, the light of its eyes now red.

The only ones to not move had been Blacktail and Saitama. They stared at each other, the woman smiling lightly, and Saitama's expression serious. Slowly, it turned into a combative smile.

"So, on vacation, eh? Destroying planets doesn't sound like a good idea to pass one of those." He decided that, despite the fact that she had just threatened to blow up the earth, he liked this chick. Seeking fun into battle was too much his own thing to not understand. And, well, he liked the direct attitude.

"We all take our kicks where we can." She replied philosofically. "You know that better than most."

Saitama didn't know what to answer to that.

"Still, i guess you would not be keen to go all out so close to you house. Do you know a place that is more adapt?"

Saitama thought only a moment about that. "Sure thing." He turned to Genos, somewhat hesitating. He felt a good hope about this thing, but he wasn't sure what to do about him.

Blacktail seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry about your friend. My bodyguards will keep him company."

A grunt and a titter were the only, and not much reassuring, replies.

Still, Saitama was feeling his blood getting up.

He gave a rapid somewhat apologetic glance to Genos, then turned to Blacktail, his smile combative and ready.

"Follow me!" He exclaimed, and he was gone, a blur and a blast of wind in his wake.

Genos stumbled, then retook his stance, mind running. He had complete thrust into Master's prowess, but had he to be always so hasty? Not like he could talk about zeal, but still…

The strange woman was gone also, the two henchmen looking a lot more relaxed.

"Well, that's done." Grumbled the big rabbit, OFF, if he had heard the name correctly, while stretching his shoulder. "Hey, you, earthling." Genos stiffenedat being addressed. "Is your friend really strong?"

Genos blurted out the words before thinking. "Master is the strongest hero on earth. He's invicible."

OFF frowned. "Master? What are you… ah, who cares."

"I think you're pretty!"

Genos had to repress the urge to jump when the smiling face made of swarming pixels popped straight before him. "I thought you earthlings were all ugly fleshy things!" Mercury exclaimed. "But you're cool! You got all those metal parts!"

Genos was unsure of what to do as the thing whirled around him, watching him with child-like wonder.

The big hand of OFF saved him, closing around Mecury and dragging it away.

"Don't bother the piece of junk, you little monker." He grumbled, pixels running crazily around his closed fist.

"That's soooo rude, OFF!" Came the outraged, tittering voice from inside. "They've been so kind. Why must you be like that?"

OFF just grunted and rolled his eyes.

Whatever he was going to say was lost, as a tremendous explosion went off into the horizon. The road trembled, and Genos had to steady himself.

"It's going to end soon." OFF said, as Genos whirled around to see a giant mushroom cloud where the ruins of Z-City's center were.

"Master is going to win." Genos said mechanically. The big rabbit came to his side, watching the settling cloud with a frown. The pixels still whirled around his fist.

"Here on earth, you know of God?"

Genos was taken aback from the sudden question, but nodded nonetheless.

"Well, that freak of my boss, she's not God. But damn if she's close."

"OFF! Don't be rude to the nice lady that mmppphh!"

"Shut up, you."

Genos watched as another explosion went off, this one blasting upward to clear the sky of all clouds. He had absolute confidence in Master. No matter what monster, alien or monstrosity was going to come, Saitama would win without ever flinching. He was simply too strong to contemplate something different. Yes… yes, he would win. His Master, that never lost his path, and showed him that he was losing his own. He wouldn't ever lose.

Right?

He took a step forward, but was held back by a massive paw.

"Where are you going?"

Genos didn't turn. "I am going to assist my Master. Let me go."

"You can't do that with the energy you have, kiddo. You'd only get in the way."

Genos rallied against that. What did he know about his prowess? "I am still going. Let me go."

"Moron."

The street launched itself away from him. Genos felt something hard smash against his back. His vision fizzled for a moment, then it steadied again on a field of rubble.

His in-built systems kicked in, showing him that he was two kilometers away from his precedent position. Shaking away his dismay, he left a burst of energy flare, destroying the rubble into which he had gone to embed himself. As he landed on the ground, his mind raced. Had that monster actually thrown him so far?

His detector signalled an incoming object. Genos' turbines flared, and he dashed out of the way, just an istant before the massive form of OFF came crashing down where he had been standing.

Genos was a veteran. He could kick into combat stance at any second, and knew that once the first shot had been fired, it wasn't over until one of the two was down.

He moved quickly, intern motors rising to a fever pitch as they provided powers to weapons. An energy blast shot out, cooking stone and blasting dirt, but OFF was already moving out of the way.

Genos slided to a stop just as the big alien stomped between the rubble, the two facing each othere.

"I'll be more clear." He grunted. "You don't get to go anywhere until our boss and your pal have finished." A protest from his fist was quickly shushed.

Genos didn't say nothing, there was nothing to say. He just moved into action. His arm-mounted cannon roared, the energy blast engulfing OFF. It was still going as Genos broke into a run, mechanical turbines making him accelerate to incredible speed. A machinegun-like rain of fists cratered the earth, sending rubble and debris flying everywhere.

Genos felt everything connect, so he increased his tempo. He was going to…

An enormous fist emerged from the dust, piercing straight through his assault.

Genos felt a spike of pain, then nothing more.

He came back with a gasp. The first thing he realized was that he was on his stomach, with something heavy atop him. He struggled, but couldn't shrug it off.

"Calm down." The rumbling voice of OFF said from somewhere he couldn't see.

Genos didn't obey, couldn't obey. Instead, he kept struggling, even to no avail.

Mercury's rotund head appeared in his vision. The strange thing had a somewhat sympathetic smile on its strange face. Still, it quickly changed to mischievousness as it started to pick at Genos' face with a thin finger.

Genos reboubled his efforts, if only to get away from that.

Minutes passed with frustrating slowness and, when the weight finally disappeared it felt like an eternity had passed.

Genos immediately jumped up, eliciting a squeak from a sleeping Mercury. His augmented muscles not being burdened a bit from the forced immobility, he re-activated his weapons, ready to give battle once again. He was angry and frustrated enough to be ready to blow up a city.

Still, OFF didn't look about to face him. The giant alien only watched him with mild disapproval, emanating not one jolt of aggressivity.

"It's done." He grumbled, nodding toward the horizon.

Something in his tone took the fight out of Genos' anger. Wide-eyed, he turned to where he had gestured to, toward the place of the battle.

"Do whatever you feel like."

Genos didn't need to be said twice. Without a look back, he took flight, engines spouting jets of flame.

Something… something had changed, he could feel it where his heart and guts used to be. Something deeply wrong had happened, and his bad feelings kept pointing at only one thing. But, it was impossible. Master couldn't have possibly lost. Saitama never lost. It was simple as that. He never lost!

When he arrived at the place, his eyes widened.

The ex-center of the city was gone, replaced by an enormous crater that seemed to stretch for dozens of kilometers.

Genos found the two contenders at the exact center of it.

Blacktail looked unfazed, barely a fleck of dust over her pristine cloak. She looked just like when she had left, minus the little smile, now replaced by a somewhat thoughtful expression.

And before her…

"Master!" Genos was at Saitama's side in a flash. Frantically, keeping his calm only by his cold blood, he went to check his Master's condition.

Saitama laid into the dust like a puppet with his strings cut. His outfit was rent and broken into many place, showing wounds, cuts and bruises of all kind. Genos could barely believe at what he was seeing.

"I'll say." Genos jumped, pointing his cannon out of instict.

Blacktail didn't seem to notice. "Little Boros has always been a bit of a boaster, but he could back up a lot of his claims. And yet, he really had no chance against you. You are really powerful, earthling. You broke your limiter, but at a level that it's remarkable." She tilted her head. "Mh, muscle training, uh? That's really hilarious." She chuckled, her expression softening. "But you have absolutely no form, a novice at best. You have to put some work in the skill department or people are gonna call you a musclehead." She shrugged. "Oh, well, it has been fun." She moved her gaze on Genos, and he shuddered and clenched his teeth.

Blacktail looked throughful for a moment, then smiled. "You know what? I have decided to not destroy this planet. Why, it looks like a funny place. I think that i will remain here a little more."

Genos' disbeliving relief was cut out by her gesturing at him with her tail.

"Genos, right? Take care of your Master for a while. I fear that during our little bout i have inadvertently restored a part of his limiter." Her appendage waved, like to say that it had been an unfortunate but unavoidable circumstance.

She seemed to take Genos' stunned silence as a declaration of complete under standing.

"See you around, then."

Genos' arm snapped toward her. "Wait!"

Blacktail stopped mid-turn, giving him a quizzical look.

"Who are you?"

She made to open her mouth, but then stopped, and smiled. "I am Blacktail. Just that. And that's because i have a tail that it's black." She chuckled, like she had just said a very clever joke, and started to drift away.

"See you around, Cyber Demon. Say hello to your friend when he wakes up."

And, just like that, she was gone, disappearing into the dust in the wind like she was never there.

Genos noticed he was holding his breath only when her strange presence disappeared. For a moment, he fumbled in confusion, a thousand questions fighting in his head. He replied to it as he always did, by doing stuff. He went back to check his Master, starting to daub his most vicious wounds with healing foam he kept for civilian causalties. He had already confirmed he was alive, but only now he allowed himself to be relieved for it, as well for his own survival and, well, the entire world, he guessed. Because someone with the power to defeat his Master was to be taken on the word when she said that she could destroy Earth, that was for sure.

Emotions warred for his attention, but he stubbornly shut them down. What had just happened was simply too big, he… he needed time, and now it wasn't the moment.

Feeling deeply shaken, he focused on giving medical attention to his Master. It didn't escape him the distinctly happy expression on the sleeping face of Saitama, but what exactly meant, he wasn't able to understand. Of one thing he was sure, though. Things had just abruptly changed, and, he decided, not for the right, at all.


	2. Chapter 2

"And that's all."

And that was all. Fubuki felt the need to splutter. Like she was supposed to take all of… of that!, like it was nothing!

Emerald eyes sneaked a sideway glance at the third member of that improvised little council.

Silver Fang - The Silver Fang, a small part of her still couldn't believe to be in the same room - kneeled across the little table from her, hands on both knees. His weather-worn, bark-like face, looking more like someone had tried to carve human features into rock, showed no expression, but it didn't need to. Fubuki was told everything by the tension in the shoulders, made deceptively thin by the simple shirt the old dog wore, and, most of all, by the eyes. It was all in the eyes, really. Fubuki could very well picture him before a crowd of students, commanding silence and respect without a word uttered.

Now, the tension and disconcert she saw there was enough to make her blood run cold.

"How could this happen?" Silver Fang murmured, looking more like he was trying to make sense of it rather than actually asking a question.

Genos just shrugged, but otherwise didn't move. He had been in that same, exact position from the moment they had arrived. Fubuki was sure enough that even his chest didn't raise, not even once.

Trying not to shudder, she moved her attention on the person the Demon Cyborg was so stubbornly holding watch over.

Seeing Saitama in bed, covered in bandages from head to toes, was an experience that bordered on the hallucination. Fubuki had a number of rock-hard certainties in her life, the kind upon which one could build a set of beliefs. That Saitama was unbeatable was starting to consolidate between them, right alongside the "my sister is invicibile" one. Seeing his serene face as he laid unconscious, Fubuki felt that certainty break apart. It felt like being weightless, a flag prey to the wind. She wanted to scream and cry and laugh, all the same time. Was it normal? It surely wasn't. But yet again, what was normal in all of that?

Silence felt thick as a wet sheet after the question left unaswered. Bewilderement hang heavy into the room. Fubuki felt it like a clammy hand on her skin, like a bad smell.

Saitama was strong, incredibly so. Why, she still shuddered at their first meeting, with him standing there with his dull face, taking a tornado to the face without a sign of even registering the attack, walking through her psychic meatgrinder like it was a spring breeze. The thought that someone, something, could have reduced him in such a state was terrifying at best and histerical at worst.

It didn't make wonders to her state of mind to see that Silver Fang, The Silver Fang, seemed to share her own thoughts.

She felt and repressed the need to grasp at her own arm to steady herself. The feeling of powerlesness, that horrible horrible feeling that had chased her all her life, welled in her chest, pressing against her ribs like a bomb trying to explode.

She struggled to hold it, to contain it, but eventually couldn't stay silent anymore.

"What do we know about them?"

Fubuki tried her best to ignore the flicker of surprise across Silver Fang's expression, like the old man forgot she was even there, and focused on Genos. To be truthful, she was the first to be surprised by how her firm her voice sounded. Inside, she felt ready to give in to histerics any second.

The Demon Cyborg didn't move, but the little jolt rippling along his shoulders didn't escape Fubuki. She totally had his attention.

"Those aliens." She repeated. "What do we know about them?"

Her calm teetering, she noticed Genos' small gestures, felt his hesitation, like he was loath to discuss the matter.

"Nothing." The Demon Cyborg eventually settled.

Fubuki's head spinned. She was unsure if it was for that complete lack of information or for the hint of resignation in the S-hero's voice. She hadn't realized how much she had come to think of Genos as an emotionless robot.

"Then it's clear what our next move should be." She felt like that firm voice wasn't hers, like someone else was talking and surely not the scaredy cat she felt herself to be in that moment. Judging by Silver Fang's expression, he thought the same. "We must try to find as much information we can about these invaders." She took out her cellphone, rapidly scanning the messages. "I didn't get any alarm, and it's already a few hours since this happened. This may mean that those invaders are laying low or that they don't have hostile intentions for now." She tried to not look too pleased when Silver Fang made a move to reach his own phone, like he was realising the same only then. "Maybe it's true." She said, watching straight at Genos. "Maybe that alien really wanted only to test Saitama's strenght, and right now she doesn't have interest in our world."

Genos turned to peer at her, eye whirring softly. Fubuki tried to not indulge on the sensation that it looked like a zerooing-in on a target.

"We have only the words of that thing."

Fubuki didn't back down. "Not only that. We have facts also." She lifted her cellphone to emphasize. "And that's only another reason to get to the bottom of this." She turned to glance from Genos to Silver Fang, to include the old man as much as to escape from that cold gaze. "Me and my subordinates will try to fish as much as we can from this."

"I'll help." Silver Fang suddenly said, to her immense relief. "I will contact the Association and the other S-Class Heroes."

Fubuki nodded, feeling a smile appear on her face. The old man seemed to have shrug off the hopelesness of earlier.

"I'll leave it to you, then. Your word will carry a lot more weight than mine." She turned to Genos, and hesitated. The Demon Cyborg gave her his back once again. It didn't look like there was anything in his programs apart from standing there until Saitama got up.

"Genos…" Fubuki exchanged a worried glance with Silver Fang.

The Demon Cyborg gave no sign of aknowledging their presence.

Fubuki took it as her cue to leave. Somebody had to remain with Saitama anyway.

"I will try to convince him to help later." Silver Fang said once they made their way out of the apartment. The old man ruffled his hair, sighing. "Thank you, Tornado." He said suddenly.

Fubuki was taken aback. "F-for what?"

The smile he regarded her with made her think of fissures opening into graggy mountain walls.

"I fear to have lost my nerve for a moment back there." He grimaced. "You shock me up. I guess that even old dogs like me need that from time to time." He laughed, and Fukuki was left speechless. She never meant to…

"Well, we better get going." The old man frowned, retaking all his grim seriousness. "You know how to use your group better than me, but, listen to me, be prudent, alright?" He pinned her with a piercing gaze. "Whoever did this to Saitama it's not something that B-Class can face. We'll need S-Class for this. Limit yourself to find informations, and just that."

Suddenly feeling very small and very young, Fubuki nodded quickly.

"Good." Silver Fang's gaze softened. "I'll keep in touch. Be prudent."

And just like that, he was away, dashing quick as an arrow out of sight.

Fubuki remained alone on the landing. For a moment, it was all okay. Then, everything that had just transpired hit her with full force.

The strange determination that had sustained her faded away, and she slumped against the wall, knees giving way beneath her. What the hell had she just embarked herself in? Saitama was able to knock out all of her group without breaking a sweat, and now she had just said that she would go and tangle with something even more powerful! Her subordinates, her friends, they could die! What the hell was wrong with her? And then Silver Fang, the Silver Fang, went and thanked her for… for inspire him? And then Saitama got defeated and then she went and babbled without thinking and then…

Fubuki took a deep breath, trying to slow down her whirling thoughts. Alright, she had gone and babbled, but even so, her reasoning remained sound. If those aliens, monsters, whatever, had hostile intentions, they would have killed Saitama and destroyed who knows how much. She couldn't understand what their thinking could be right now, but it didn't really matter. What it was important now was that his Group gives its contribution. They would search for information about them, and she would try to keep her comrades as safe as possible. Once Silver Fang returned, the matter would be in the hands of the S-Class and her Group would be safe.

She nodded shakily. Yes, that's what she was going to do. All in all, it was probably for the best. To take a proactive role from the beginning would give her some good cards with the Association to keep her Group out of the fighting when the time for it came. She would just hand over whatever information they had and say that those monsters were out of their league with data to back it up. Yes, it could work.

Feeling a little better, Fubuki pushed herself away from the wall and straightened her jacket and hair. She gave a small huff, straightened herself once again and started to climb down the stairs.

"Hey, woman."

Fubuki gave a small eep, barely catching herself from tumbling down the flight of stairs. Her head snapped to look up, and she froze.

A slim, young man dangled head down from the ceiling, feet leaning right on it in complete defiance of gravity. He wore a form-fitting black bodysuit, with metal plating on his shins, chest, shoulders and waist. A long purple scarf trailed down from his neck, covering the low half of his face. Only the eyes, large and gray, were visible, alongside the long raven hair tied into a topknot. The handle of a katana peeked behind his left shoulder.

Out of instinct, Fubuki raised both hands, an emerald aura appearing around her fingers.

"You are the ninja of that time…"

She lied if she said she wasn't surprised, or scared. She had seen that man go toes to toes with Genos himself. And right now… the bloodlust emanating from hims was so thick that she could feel it like a bad taste on the tongue, let alone his smouldering gaze.

"It's really true?" He asked, ignoring her words. "Saitama has been defeated?"

Fubuki swallowed. The emotions of that man washed against her ESP senses like waves of scalding air.

"Yeah, it's true." She said, mind running to try and remember what kind of interest this man could have on Saitama. She seemed to remember something about… a rivarly?

"Who did it?"

Fubuki repressed a flinch at the sheer emotion contained in those three words.

"We're going to take them on…" She began, gingerly. "You could help us and…"

"Who. Did. It."

Fubuki swallowed again, feeling sweat starting to form on her forehead. Yeah, one didn't need ESP powers to read the situation. If she gave the wrong answer, a fight would break out. One that she wasn't sure she could win.

She quickly glided across her options, searching for something useful, but the man's hand was already rising toward the handle.

Biting her lip, she relented. With a shakier voice than she'd like, she retold the story that Genos had said to her and Silver Fang, remarking on the description of the strange trio of aliens, and especially on the supposed leader, the one that had defeated Saitama.

The ninja listened to her silently, barely moving. When she was done, his gaze had become so smouldering that she was sure she was going to find a burn on her skin later.

"Listen…" Fubuki avoided trying to say his name. She wasn't sure she could get it right. "Those people are really dangerous, for all of us. If you could help us…"

There wasn't no reply. A moment the man was there, the next he wasn't anymore.

Eyes widening with fright, Fubuki made her aura flare, raising a telekinetic shield around herself. But no blow came, no lighting quick sword slash. Nothing.

Fubuki still kept her shield up, eyes flashing left and right as she scanned the area with her own psychic senses.

Nothing. The man was gone.

Almost sagging with relief, she left the corona of energy disappear. Really, why it was that Saitama sorrounded himself only with weirdos and possible homicidal maniacs? By now, it felt like an adventure each time she went to his apartment.

But now it wasn't the time for that.

Setting herself, she went down into the street, where her car and subordinates awaited her.

Whatever that ninja was up to, she really hoped that it wasn't nothing too troubling. She would have really done without more problems. She had enough troubles as it was, thank you very much.

Blacktail seated outside a bar, her ample cloak pooling around her. Her head was cocked as a series of symbols flashed across her visor.

"What a brave young woman." She murmured with a little smile and a thoughtful tone.

"Talking to yourself again, Your Majesty? That doesn't bode well."

Blacktail turned her head. A distincly pissed off-looking OFF stood by the walkway, arms crossed before his chest. He was festooned from head to toes with bags of every kind, colour and dimensions, with two big ones dangling from his overstretched ears.

Blacktail chuckled, eliciting an annoyed grunt from him.

"You look like a christmas tree."

OFF growled, but then seemed to think about it.

"What the hell is a christmas tree?" He asked.

Blacktail hummed, thinking for a clear answer. "Like a bariuk plant during Family Feast. In your dimension it's tradition to decorate those if i am not wrong."

OFF frowned, but for a moment the hardiness in his expression seemed to soften. "Ah, ye. We do it every year and…" He seemed to realize something just then. "Hey, i don't seem like no damn bariuk!"

Blacktail chuckled again. "Keep going with that shopping. I want some souvenirs to bring home."

OFF's irritation gave way to a rumbling huff. "This isn't shopping, Your Majesty. This is fricking raiding."

"I am still thinking about blowing up this world or not, so it's necessary. Chop chop." Smiling, Blacktail flicked her tail to emphasize.

Grumbling, OFF piled the bags close to his boss and stomped away. The small bar faced a square, occupied that day by a large market. The giant rabbit waddled through lines of empty stalls, some lined with food, some with strange souvenirs and some with odds and bits of technology. His attention was lightly sparked only by the first. He really didn't care for the rest, guys like him marched on their stomachs.

Mercury was rifling through the piles of clothing of a stand when he found her.

"Hey hey hey, OFF. Hey!" The noisy thing called him, excited, shrill voice grating on his nerves. "Look at this!"

OFF squinted at the strange thing Mercury was cheerfully showing. It looked like a shirt, only with missing bits there and then, like on the left shoulder, that he supposed would remain uncovered. It had a strange drawing on the chest area, a misshapen butterfly stabbed through with a big needle. Its colours were discordant though. OFF immediately decided he didn't like it.

"What do you think?" Mercury peeped. "Maybe we could get some even for Reyra and Krippi?"

OFF moved his gaze over his impish companion, eyes narrowing. "If my daughters even tried to wear this garbage, i would beat them with a stick until their brains were back on track or they died, whichever come first."

Mercury cringed. It watched the shirt in its hands, then OFF again.

"Really." It said, pouting. "You're terrible!"

OFF scoffed, and turned to regard the inside of the stall. There, cowering behind a small mountain of merchandise, a man peeped at them like a scared rabbit. It was one of the few that hadn't managed to join the general escape that had followed their appearance.

"Hey, manling." The man winced at being addressed. "How much for this?"

His eyes rushed left and right, searching for an escape. He found none, so he swallowed and tried his best.

"S-six hundred s-silvers?"

OFF gazed grimly at him for a moment. Then, he started tapping at the strange contraption that he brought mounted on his wrist, glancing from time to time to the man.

"Yeah, make two-third of that." He said eventually.

"Oh, came on, OFF! Don't be stingy!" Mercury said while admiring some other pieces of clothing. "They're so pretty!"

OFF glanced at it briefly. "Two-third, and you have a deal."

The man's inner merchant rebelled for a moment at the outragious discount, those were very good fac-similes for godness sake!, but then he remembered that they probably could just vaporise him, or some other unpleasant end, and decided to play it safe.

While packing the merchandise, and while the man scurried away in the back of the stall, OFF glanced at the pile of brightly coloured bodies thrown haphazardly on the paving some paces away. The Mighty Five Something, they had called themselves. Weirdos. He had barely understood what the heck was happening with all the fancy moves and the skippy song. To think about it now, where the heck the song was coming from? There was someone with a stereo somewhere? Meh. That's why he wanted to try and pass unobserved. But try to talk some sense in that blockhead of his boss. If she wants to stir some trouble, she'll stir some trouble, and that's that.

He frowned. "Hey, Mercury."

"Yea-es?" The black thing singsonged, rifling through bags and items with delight.

"Have you been trasmogriphing these people's bodies?"

Mercury shot him an outraged look. "My word, i would never! In fact, i am appalled that you'd think such thing worthy of me!"

OFF's frown deepened. He watched the fainted humans, noticed the six fingers for hand, the bones spikes jutting out of shoulders and that one of them lacked the right arm. He turned to Mercury, that was watching him striclty while trying very cospicuously to hide a new, brightly colored right arm.

OFF closed his eyes, and inspired. Then, in a very calm and very adult way, he said: "Now you will go back there, remake those people like they were before and give back that one his arm." He closed his instructions with a steady glare.

Mercury met it with its own, outraged one. Then it started to look around. Then it wilted.

Eventually, it did the only thing left to do: Mercury started to whine.

"Aw, come on! It's only some minor mutations! They're gonna be better like that! And the red one has the other arm!"

"Don't you even try that, you talking black hole! You put those people back the way they were right now!"

"The boss is gonna destroy this planet anyway!"

"That's not the point! It's just not something you do! And then i know you. If i give you a hand, you're gonna take all the arm!"

"That's not true!"

"That's true alright. And do not talk back to me! You do what i say you and then ask sorry!"

"Awww, come on!" Mercury's head sunk, the strange thing looking defeated. She started to walk toward the five, waving at him. "Alright alright, i'll do it."

OFF set back his bulk with a huff. Finally this little shit was seeing reason!

"Alright." He turned to grab the bags. "Let's get to the other stalls and get enough for the boss to…" He turned, and almost jumped. "Do not even try to assimilate them! Put them all down right now!"

"I never get to do funny things when you're around!"

"I don't care what you want to do! Stop being mean and be damn polite for once!"

"Bleah! Bo-oring! You know what? You'll have to catch me first!"

"You little…!"

"Ahahahah-ah? W-wait, put that down that stick! I was just joking! Aaaaargh!"

And so, the crispy morning air was filled with shouts and shrieks and various grades of explosive rage.

Still seated on the same spot, Blacktail shock her head with a chuckle. Those two…

"H-h-h-here to you." A waitress from the bar stuttered, placing a drink on the table close to her.

Blacktail took it with her tail with a nod of thanks. She sipped from the straw, just as the waitress ran back inside shrieking. She watched with amusement a couple of stands cross the sky like meteors, while enjoying the taste of orange. That planet might have been a post-industrial society, a level of civiliation she wasn't overtly fond of, but they sure knew how to make good beverages.

Glyphs flashed across her visor.

"Mh, they have a somewhat slow reaction." She mused. "I suppose that they will mobilize quicker only when greater damages are done. Still, S-Class, mh?" She made the ice cubes inside the drink clink.

"How much are you goind to stand there?" She suddenly asked.

A shadow sprang into view, coming to a stop on the center of the road as a kneeling man in a black bodysuit and a long purple scarf billowing around him. His gaze had a smouldering intensity, and his hand was on the hilt of the sword resting on his back, already half-drawn.

"Speed-o'-Sound Sonic." Blacktail's visor flashed with some more glyphs. If he was surprised at being recognized, the young man didn't show it. He drew his sword, and took a fighting stance.

Blacktail took a sip from the drink held by her tail. "You seem to have quite the funny little relationship for Saitama. Have you come here as soon as you knew, mh?"

Sonic didn't answer, stance slightly shifting.

"Let me warn you beforehand." Blacktail continued. "I don't have toward you the same interest that i had toward Saitama. If you attack me, you will die."

Sonic kept silent, only his gaze showing emotion.

"And anyway, what advantage could bring you to defeat me? You and Saitama aren't friends. It would be just a waste of time and efforts to try and avenge him, don't you think?"

Sonic moved. He was quick as lightning, disappearing from what normal eyes could follow and attacking as a cobra. Exploding shuriken came into a complicated formations, then his blade, impossibly fast, piercing the air like a death sentence.

There was a clang of metal on metal.

Sonic landed back on the road, already into a new stance. His eyes were wide now.

"Alright then." The voice of Blacktail came, calm and collected, from behind the grotesquely bloated form of her tail. The shurikens were embedded into the appendage and, as Sonic watched, they sank in it and disappeared. "I suppose that i shall indulge you then."

The tail bulged even more, swolled shapes coursing beneath its skin. They flowed together into a single mass, then the tip of the appendage opened like a mouth, vomiting out a torrent of black fluid. And amidst it, there was something, a shape, a mass of limbs. The thing scrabbled on four thin legs, sheets of the substance roiling down from its slim form. It raised a triangular head that looked like it was made of flowing metal and opened a gaping maw. The screech blasted the road with a wave of sound, forcing Sonic to cower to not be blown away.

"Have fun, human."

Sonic set his gaze, raising his sword. Impossibly fast, the newborn monster charged at him, flailing and screeching.


	3. Chapter 3

The scene was swarmed with policemen and armed forces. Some politely but firmly kept a crowd of curious civilians away while the rest coordoned the entrance of the street.

Getting out from a car, police Chief Takeru took in the ruined buildings all around with a scowl. He was a middle-aged man, well past his fifties by now, but still sturdy like an oak. He had rough features and, if they weren't perfectly groomed, he could have well passed for some bearded woodsman with his thick beard and mustaches.

Scowling at the crowd behind the coordon, he massaged a temple, already feeling a headache coming. It had become a common occurrence by late. Monsters sprouting everywhere like turnips, heroes getting their asses kicked left and right, and the world that seemed just about to collapse. No big surprise if his stress level went to the point that even his doctor said that he had to take it easy for a while. Well, tell that to the Monsters. Heroes could contain them, but who had to keep the guard all the time? Who had to coordinate mass evacuations? Who had to struggle to mantain at least some order? The police, of course, and they didn't get flashy costumes and good press, no, sir. All work and no recognition, that was the life of the policeman, and, in Y-City, that was his life. He took great pride in it, but damn if it could get tiring.

With all that nonsense dying down, he had hoped to being able to rest a bit, and instead here a new whole big can of problems.

He took out a small bottle from his pockets and poured himself some aspirins, before swallowing them down. Feeling only marginally better, he walked further down the street.

The rest of his men were waiting for him. Takeru noticed the hero, a big lady in metal armor that stood out amidst police uniforms like an unicorn between dogs.

He didn't like heroes very much, an opinion shared almost universally by his category. They took all the spotlights for themselves and often left big messes to clean up. The best were tolerable to work with, but the worst were prancing morons that ran ahead or smug pricks that looked down their noses to poor policemen that couldn't shoot lighting out of their asses. Differently from many colleagues, Takeru thought that his personal dislikes didn't matter. Heroes were useful, and that was all. You just had to get used to those with the "i am a god and you are mortal fools" attitude and all was good.

Still, iron lady didn't show no such attitude. In fact, Takeru noticed, she had the same exact expression of the poor mortal policemen around her, like she had just seen a ghost, and that ghost was still around.

Takeru thinned his lips, forcing back his own emotions. At least the chief had to keep his cool.

"Well?"

A young man came forward, stopping to salute. Takeru recognized him as lieutenant Shizu. Good man, he had seen him rush into a crumbling building to save a little girl. He looked as white as snow now.

"This way, sir."

"Ye ye."

Nobody talked as they made way for him and Shizu to pass.

Takeru couldn't blame them.

They made their way further down the street, wider and bigger cracks marring the asphalt the more they went.

Takeru could feel his coolness already starting to fray, but put up a brave face, an art that any good police chief had to master to go on a long and succesful carrer. Still, he really wondered who would blame him if he did otherwise.

You didn't need to turn a corner to see the hole. The hole was always there. A big, black nothing into the landscape, just waiting for you to look in the distance and see it. He had seen it during his car journey there and still saw it now, in the space between the buildings, a big fucking terror that taunted him with images far too close to the apocalypse for comfort.

The immensity of it still managed to hit him when they reached the edge.

The hole went on for what it must have been dozens of kilometers. The mangled cityscape simply ended in a ragged edge, like if God had carved it out with a knife. Ridiculously far in the distance, you could see earth again, the strip of an island at the end of a sea of nothing.

Takeru thought of journeys into the ocean for a moment, then the howling wind from the hole hit him and he stumbled back, images of subterrean vistas and terrible falls filling his mind.

A hand steadied him. He didn't turn to look who he was, vaguely aware that a leader had to look steady. He probably didn't look very steady right now.

Without thinking, he swallowed another couple of aspirins.

"Chief?"

Right, Shizu. He turned to the lieutenant. He tried to say something, but words failed him for a moment. Nobody noticed. Everybody was looking at the hole.

Takeru licked his lips, finding them very dry. He had seen Tatsumaki, fucking Tatsumaki, in action. He had seen her pluck a fucking skyscraper from the ground and use it like a stupid mace to knock out a 100-meter dinosaur. But this, fucking this… this was out of every fucking bound.

"Do we know how deep it goes?" Not the most intelligent of questions. Takeru still felt vaguely impressed for having managed to put words together in a coherent way.

Shizu just shook his head. Takeru didn't need to hear him talk to understand that the lieutenant was thinking the same things he was thinking. A Monster had done this? An army of Monsters? What terrifying creatures they had to be to cause such devastation? And where had they gone? Where were they right now?

Takeru swallowed, turning to look back at the hole. He tried to immagine something large enough to open such a thing, and failed. The long habit of doing it helped him only partially to push back the sea of questions and to concentrate on the here and now. And that was: what was he supposed to write in his report?

* * *

"We're ready, miss!"

Fubuki nodded stiffly to Lily's eager face, before turning to address the group in the room. She was met by orderly rows of spotless black suits and serious expressions, Mountain Ape and Eyelashes standing front and center.

Blossoming pride only deepened her uncertainty, but she was quite the expert when it came to put up a brave front and her voice came out firm and strong.

"You know what to do." She said. "Keep comunications open all time and don't engage, no matter what. Keep only to scouting, do you understand me?"

A chorus of resolute affirmations shook the room.

Fubuki nodded. "Good, then move out."

Almost as one, the heroes broke ranks and started to file out the room.

Watching them go, Fubuki felt doubt gnaw at her gut. Was she doing the right thing to concern her group with this matter? Saitama was tremendously strong, maybe even almost as strong as her sister. Someone that could beat him was a terrifying prospect and one surely way above their weight class. Was she sending her subordinates into an impossible mission?

But no, no, she repeated to herself for what must have been the hundreth time, it wasn't like that. Her group members would strictly limit themselves to scouting and information gathering, a task that they were more proficient at than higher-level heroes. With lesser strenght came a wealth of needs, coordination and preparation mainly, that the upper classes could skip entirely, and with it skills that went over simple combat prowess.

And then there was the attitude of the Association, not exactly the most observant of the use they gave to B-Class heroes, bar the most notorious. It stung at her, but there was no need to try and sweeten it. B-Class were still fodder, better fodder than C-Class maybe, but still fodder, and the Association used them as such. The true strenght, those that the higher-ups took care at making use of, were the A-Class and, of course, the S-Class, that were basically pampered like the super stars they were. One of the reason her group developed into such a tight-knit, large powerhouse was just the need to have someone to bring the case of the poor B-Class to the attention of the board, and that was where she came to play. The little sister of Tatsumaki, she was too important to disregard completely, not if they wanted to keep her monster of a sister at bay. Fubuki pushed back the sourness rising at those thoughts.

Whatever the case, she had too many experiences of having to negotiate with the higher-ups the use of her Group to trust chances. She was more than ready to take on Demon-rank Monsters, but not above that, never above that; and the directors weren't always the most ready to meet her requests. Too many times they had asked the impossible from her Group, sure and safe in their nice tower and with their danger rankings, with all their data that said what Hero was to be good for what job, no compromise allowed, while they were the ones having to brave the actual risks and what quagmire of variables reality really was. No, if she was to be sure that her Group would not be put into useless danger by those idiots she had to bring them something to bargain with. Information was the best she could come up with, the more of it the better. She would show them that the case was way above the reach of B-Class and in doing so keep her subordinates safe.

That would even allow to skip the part where the Association tries to understand what kind of danger they were faced with, maybe using lower-class heroes as "scouting forces", like they liked to call those high-danger missions.

And, finally, putting aside every human need of security, they were still heroes and those that had beaten Saitama were still a threat that had to be faced, as much as any earthborn Monster. They had a duty to follow, and to face an enemy stronger than them was only another day for the B-Class. Their bravery, her subordinates' bravery more than hers, could not be put into discussion, not from the directors, from the S-Class or from anyone else.

Those thoughts invigorated her, helping to push back her doubts. Nodding to Lily, she strode out of the room, her personal assistant scurrying in her footsteps.

Walking into the short corridor outside, Fubuki left her mind move from those thoughts to more practical matters.

She entered into another room, this one abuzz with activity. The majority of the space was occupied with tables crowded with pcs and other equipment, with cables running across the floor. Members of the group worked on them or exchanged data, never standing still for more than a second, filling the room with frantic energy. Fubuki's entrace was noticied almost immediately. Glances and nods were thrown her way, but nobody interrupted his work.

The Esper was pleased by it. It looked like her insistence on the importance of the task found home.

If their play was to be information gathering, this was the heart of it, the Fubuki Group's very personal information nexus. Radio frequences, the media, the internet, the group's own contacts, the Association network, nothing was left out of her operators' attention. All their work was channelled into hard data that found place into the large electronic map that covered the back wall. A squad of group members worked at it, costantly adjourning it with markers reporting eventual disturbances into public order. It covered something like a dozen cities, nothing as great as the Association's own network center, but Fubuki felt her pride flare nonetheless. That was all her group's work.

She had it organized as her Group grew in size, hoping for a tool that would allow her and her subordinates to intervene against emerging dangers with more swiftness and independence than just waiting for the Association's input. She had never regretted it. The network had allowed her group to bag some incredible successes, giving them the chance to get to the scenes more quickly than other heroes, raising their coordination possibilities and, ultimate, giving them the edge they needed to emerge as a semi-independent force into the Association.

The higher-ups weren't all happy with it, as they weren't with anything that threatened their absolute control over "their" heroes, but if she enjoyed arguing with those ugly mugs about something, it was about this. Of course, there was a limit, but she had always made sure to not surpass it.

"Any results?" She asked, stepping to the map. She followed the points and symbols flare there and then, each a disturbance into pubblic order. Thankfully, no major problems. The memory of that map exploding with angry red during the Monster Uprising was still fresh and ugly, and one that she had no desire to see repeat.

An operator, a young man with blond air and white shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, stepped to her.

"Not yet, ma'am. We have a number of minor disturbances, but not yet the one we're seeking for."

Fubuki nodded and sent him back to work. She didn't expect anything anyway. It was too soon for that. Still, she didn't expect to have to wait much either. They had descriptions, they only had to find indications that matched them. With all the network focused on that single task, they would find those aliens soon enough.

Fubuki peered at the map, thinking.

Before the Monster Association, it was held as common knowledge that Monsters could rbe classified into broad types: arrogant type, wild type, unstable type and so on. What they shared was the unsubtelty. Monsters went out and wild over society, no matter if small or big. If they didn't, it was only because they lacked the strenght and had enough selfcontrol to be realize it. Monsters were incontrollabile beings by default, uncapable of living without lashing out. It was the explosion of their own impulses to make them monsters, after all.

With the Monster Association and the Uprising, that notion had been blown out the window. Monsters showed themselves not only being able to cooperate on vast scale, but also to implement subtelty, like kidnapping a big sponsor's child to use as a a shield against large-scale retribution.

The revelation had come as a shock to the Association and it had been a cause of the big crisis. They simply weren't ready to face such an attack. The S-Class' might had proved itself once again up to the task, but it was clear that the old notions had to be revised. Monsters had more potentialities in them than anybody gave them credit for. Sure, not like anybody expected for another Monster Association to sprout up tomorrow, but many ideas had been shaken.

And now, aliens.

Fubuki pressed her lips into a thin line. What was she supposed to think about that? There had been a single alien invasion in history and the intervention of half the S-Class had been needed to quell the turmoil, with A-City being levelled all the same.

And now, it happened again.

The first wave had showed themselves as unsubtle as the old-school Monsters, but these ones seemed to be completely different. They came in peace, talked normally and offered challenges like it was a friendly spar.

Genos told that the alien that defeated Saitama knew of those that did the previous invasion, that had come just to "see" the one that defeated it, that now was going to remain on the planet for sometime, just to look around.

Fubuki didn't even know that Saitama fought in the previous invasion, but that was beside the point.

For that alien, that strange woman?, from her words, it sounded like it was all just a big game for her. Coming to another planet, blasting a hole large dozens of kilometers, going into a stroll, speaking of destroying worlds like it was nothing.

It was sick, twisted in a way that made her lightheaded.

Who spoke such things with such tranquillity? What even was that thing?

Fubuki felt her assurance start to fray. Once again, she felt like she had stepped into something way over her head. Her knees felt weak, and she almost stumbled.

But the eyes of everybody in the room were subtly on her, and she was the leader of the Fubuki Group. She took strenght from that thought, and the hole that seemed to have opened under her feet disappeared. She stood tall as ever, not even a hint betraying her inner turmoil.

She didn't need to understand these aliens, it didn't matter. The only things she needed to know was how to defeat them. Their strange behaviour would only help her to discover it. Sure, a part of her hoped that they would show themselves to be peaceful, but whatever their minds, whatever that woman's mind was set on, they were a threat that had to be kept under control. And Earth had faced threats like that, even worse, and were more than ready to face this one. They had the S-Class, they had her sister.

They would triumph, like they always did.

Releasing a sigh, and the tension accumulated in her shoulders, she took out her cellphone. No call back or message from Silver Fang yet. No matter, she needed the time anyway. No doubt that with the S-Class called into action, a certain number two Esper would soon come to her doorstep.

Againt the norm, the thought of her sister reassured her. It told much how that situation had shaken her. She really needed to calm down.

She felt a shiver of unease running across her back. How strange. It was some time that she had the impression of being observed. Not like it was new. She always had someone observing her, for a reason or the other. Still, more than usual.

She shook her head, banishing those thoughts. No time for paranoia now.

She turned to Lily, the girl having being patiently waiting for her.

Fubuki's mood immediately softened. That poor girl. Sometimes she wondered how her assistant managed to put up with a troublesome boss like her.

"Are we ready?" She asked.

Lilì nodded eagerly, and gave a signal to one of the operators.

"Trasmission open now, ma'am!"

Nodding, Fubuki took the earphone another member gave her and put it in her ear.

She would supervise the operation closely, keeping a costant contact with her subordinates on the field. As much as all that tech was useful, you regretfully still needed for people to be your eyes and confirm the info. And, well, as much as she was fond of them, some of her subordinates could sometimes go overboard with the zeal. They could use a reining hand. Those aliens were already enough of a wildcard as they were right now. The last thing she needed was for someone to let the blood go to the brain and start to antagonise them or, worse, attack them.

It might well lead to a disaster.

With those thoughts in mind, she started to call names on the microphone, listening to each chimed reply.

* * *

Sonic was beside himself.

It wasn't like him to rush in without thinking. He was an assassin, a professional. He studied planimetries and personalities. He timed habits and examined quirks. He made sure that the jobs he took were the most rewarding about their challenge and the least troublesome about consequences. All to grow, to become stronger, to keep moving forward in the most efficient way possible. He was a planner, for fuck's sake.

Even when the Baldy had come, shattering all the convictions he held about himself, he still hadn't left blood go to his head. He studied him and trained, relentlessly. Saitama had become his wall, and he felt that he couldn't move forward if it wasn't sent crumbling down.

And still, planning, attention to details. If he challenged him, it was because he was sure he could take him. Sure, sometime even his patience thinned. How the hell was he supposed to remain always calm before that stupid egghead and his stupid face?

But suddenly, Saitama got defeated. He wasn't still sure what exactly had been his reactions. He felt cheated and angry to the bone, of that he was sure. That was his opponent, his rival, nobody could steal it from him. But even then, why the fuck had he simply thrown his caution out the window and rushed in without knowing nothing?

Sonic landed on a wall, concrete cracking under his feet. His senses took in his new sorroundings. The sun-backed road, the buildings all around, down to every single cracks over their abused surfaces. With the speed of a seasoned three-dimension fighter, his mind processed all the movement possibilities that he could take. It lasted for a split second, then he dashed away, just quick enough to avoid the black form that smashed where he had been a moment before.

Sonic turned, seeing the "thing" scrabble amongst dust and shards of concrete. The monster showed grazes and indentures there and then, but it was otherwise unharmed. Unfazingly, it turned its triangular head his way and let out another piercing screech. The wall exploded into a myriad of fragments as it took off after him, quick enough to follow.

Sonic gritted his teeth. What even was this thing?

His ignorance stung at him. That wasn't like him! He never went in blind!

Jumping from wall to wall, his free hand went to his belt. As he passed between a street lamp and a building, he threw a small object behind himself. The miniaturised explosive shot out an almost invisible string in both directions, affixing itself to a column on a side and on metal on the other. It remained dangling at the center of the space, invisibile if not for the little biping red light.

Sonic counted seconds. When he reached five, he heard a surprised screech then an explosion, followed by a wave of wind and heat. Grinning with savage relish, he turned mid-air and launched four shurikens. Other four explosions covered the street, the pained screeches of the thing coming from the midst of fire and raised dust.

Sonic stopped on a flag post jutting out of a building wall. His grin disappeared as he tried to catch his breath. That thing was fast and strong, but not very intelligent, it seemed.

He sneaked a glance toward the end of the street. The strange woman was still sitting in the same spot. She was browsing one of those cheap magazines some bars liked to put on free reading, looking completely unconcerned with the battle.

Sonic felt his pride bristle, alongside another wave of frustration. That wasn't like him, dammit! It was just that… when he heard that Saitama had been defeated, he seemed to have simply stopped thinking. He could barely remember what he had thought while coming to attack that alien. He could recall only anger, hatred, frustration, and something else, something that he could not put his finger upon. That mix of emotions had left him free to think again only when he was already deep in combat, leaving him wondering how, why and what.

His thoughts were cut short by an angry screeching. The monster came shooting out of the smoke like a cannonball. Sonic was ready for it, but the thing was damn fast. He jumped out of the way just in time, sending it smashing against the wall. His sword moved quickly, repelling shards of concrete and iron, but some still managed to graze his face, making him flinch.

He threw more shuriken, but this time the thing was already on the move when they connected, blowing up a smoky furrow into the building's side.

Howling, screeching, even fucking croaking if it wasn't enough of a monster already, Sonic watched the thing move across the wall in defiance of gravity, its long, thin legs carrying it to dizzying speed like some kind of twisted spider.

Sonic samersaulted into the air, landing on a large window. His scarf billowed around him as he threw a piercing look at his opponent.

The thing propelled itself against it, roaring. He did the same, meeting it in mid-air.

Sonic dodged a swipe and attacked, his blade flashing repeatedly. The contact lasted for barely a second, then he continued forward, samersaulting into the air and landing feet-first on the signboard of a hotel. He turned, just in time to see the monster land on the street with a heavy thud. It screeched and scrabbled, the forelimbs scratching wildly at the new set of scratches on its head and flank.

Sonic sneaked a glance to his sword, took in the chipped blade. He frowned and turned back to his opponent, tightening his grasp on the weapon. Explosives did only minimal damage, and sword strikes managed only marginally better. How the hell was he supposed to take this thing down?

Once again, he found himself stumbling for a reason, something!, that could explain why the fuck he would just throw himself blind in something like this.

He shook his head. No time for that now.

The monster scratched at its wounds a last wild time, then threw itself forward with a disarticulated motion, barely stopping its previous movements as it soared into the air like it was being picked up by a giant hand.

Sonic prepared to dodge once again. No matter if he could inflict only shallow wounds, he would hit this thing as many times it was necessary.

But then, just as he moved, the monster did something impossible. It changed trajectory. Without any surface to use as a springboard, straight from mid-air, it just moved aside, tracing a straight corner in the air and following his own movement.

Taken completely by surprise, Sonic couldn't dodge. The monster fell upon him with a wild shriek, smashing him against the wall.

Sonic felt pain explode in his back, but still brought his blade to deflect a thrust that would have taken his head. The monster's frenzied form covered his vision, a nightmare of shrieks and wild motions. A limb raked his side, making him shudder into agony. Frantically, he kicked, meeting iron-hard skin. The monster barely flinched, and thrusted at him with its forelimbs in a frenzy. Blocked against the wall, Sonic couldn't but defend himself frantically. He blocked a swipe, dodged a thrust, took a blow to the gut and retaliated with a slash, blood pouring from his mouth.

That seemed to anger the monster even more. Punching with all four limbs against the wall, it opened its maw and came down on him, trying to bite at his face. Sonic barely had the time to thrust the flat of his blade in the opened mouth, blocking it from mauling him.

They remained locked into a contest of strenght, one that Sonic wasn't at all sure of being able to win.

That thing was tremendously strong, and the blows he had taken hurt like a bitch.

Uncosciounsly, he took a close look at the monster.

It seemed a toy bunched together by a small child. It's body was formed by polygons of black matter that looked like glistening iron, forming into the rough shape of a quadruped. Each part had a rough diamond shape and was attached to the next only by the point, giving it the beast both a rickety and an abstract vibe. Only the head, completely featureless, was triangular, but there any pretence of civility of the thing disappeared. It opened like a wicked maw, and Sonic had a full view of the billowing sea of bubbling black matter inside, alongside three thick tongues that swarmed widly in it.

Heartbeat thundering in his ears, Sonic put all his strenght into holding the sword. His muscles burned for the effort. Fuck, that thing was strong!

He snarled when the monster pushed itself closer, jaws opening ever wider. He tried to jam the blade in its mouth, but the the thing didn't even seem to register.

A cracking sound made his blood ran cold. A hairline crack opened on the blade.

He clenched his jaw, an animal sound escaping his mouth as he redoubled his efforts to get that monster off him. But it would be easier to try and push off a mountain. He felt the concrete where the monster's limbs jabbed start to crack under the renewed pressure.

The cracks on the blade expanded. Sonic squeezed his eyes shut, pushing and pushing. He had to get out of this, before it was too late. He had to…

Crack.

The blade snapped. The monster dashed forward with a cry of triumph. But Sonic was already moving. His legs came up, followed by all the body as he did an incredibly tight front flip between the monster and the wall. His foot met the monster's chin in a smashing blow, and one that was one of his specialties.

"Wind Blade Kick!"

The wind seemed to follow his leg, condensing into an attack that was as much as a deadly blade as the one he had been wielding. The concrete behind him was sheared clean off, like a buzzsaw had passed straight through it.

The monster was thrown up by the momentum, all its body snapping upward. A croaking cry escaped its maw.

Without letting up, Sonic pushed its feet against the wall, gathered himself on his knees and jumped forward. The concrete exploded under the pressure, shards splattering around, but he was already away. He followed the monster, surpassed it and then front-flipped again, shouting the name of the technique again, smashing his foot against its head.

The monster went down like a missile, smashing into the street like a cannonball, disappearing into an explosion of dust and debris.

Sonic landed on the roof of a building. He fell on a knee, trying to slow down his pulse.

Goddammit, that had been way too closer for comfort. He watched with a frown the stump of a sword still in his hand. Just a piece of junk now. He threw it away with a disgusted noise.

Down, between the smoke and dust, he could still hear the monster trash and scrabble. He clenched his teeth. He had hit it, hard, but he had already done so a lot of times, with barely noticeable result. Now, his arms trembled and his foot and side hurt badly.

This wasn't good.

He spat, taking out a can of healing foam. Jamming it into the rip on his side, he covered the wound with it, forcing himself to think. To escape now would be in his best interest, but with that foot now he wasn't sure he could pull it off. Despite trying not to, he ended once again berating himself. What the hell was he thinking, rushing in like that?

"It was fear."

Sonic jumped, and looked around frantically. Just now, that voice…

"You were scared."

He freezed, then turned slowly. The strange lady was still on her chair, small in the distance, but he couldn't be mistaken: she was looking at him. And it was her voice that he was hearing.

"It has been the same even with Saitama, hasn't?" It said. "The fear of facing an unpassable wall. The fear of having all your hard-won abilities come to naught. The fear of having your convictions about your strenght shattered, of coming to realize that you're weak. The fear of seeing how small you really are. The fear of seeing how big the world really is."

Sonic shook his head, trying to push that voice back, but it wouldn't leave.

"When Saitama defeated you, you struggled to match up to him. You called yourself his rival. Because he was strong and his rival had to be strong also. You chased him, knowing that if you defeated him, you would be strong once again, you wouldn't be weak. You tried, but couldn't measure to him. And then, someone came and defeated him. What terrible blow for you. That meant to remain even more behind, to be even weaker. It was like being defeated all over again. You weren't strong, you were weak, so weak as to be unnoticeable."

Sonic gritted his teeth, turning to look at the street below. He could just make out the shape of the monster. He tried to focus on it, but that voice drilled in his head.

"To be strong is everything for you, the purpose of your existence. If you aren't strong, then you are nothing. Dust. And so when you heard that you were risking to be left ever more behind, you fell to terror. You were scared. So much that you didn't think. You just came here to prove that you weren't weak. That you were strong enough to defeat Saitama, to defeat anyone who dared to humble you in such a way. Sonic, the great ninja."

There was a moment of tense silence. Sonic could almost feel his eyes become bloodshot.

"Accelerate."

The monster came toward him. Fast. Impossibly fast. Faster than anything before.

Sonic had barely the time to widen his eyes.

Blacktail watched the top of the building disappear into an explosion.

She sighed wistfully, and took another sip from her drink.

"Never put all your eggs into a single basket."

* * *

_**Author's notes**_

_**me: Why not? **_


	4. Chapter 4

The sound of the door opening was a relief for Bang, and even more the sight of a human being entering into the room.

He would be the first to admit that him being happy to see a corporate suit was strange, but a lot of strange things happened from the time he had breakfast and that, he was sure of it, wouldn't be the last before the day was done.

He eyed the two robots flanking the man. Heavy armors, heavy weapons and yellow, unblinking eyes, just like all the others he had seen from the moment he had put foot into the gargantuan Headquarters of the Hero Association. Patrolling, working, doing jobs that humans used to do. And regarding humans, walking, breathing flesh and blood and bone, he saw only glimpses of those, there and then, always accompanied by robots. It was actually the first time he met with one face to face.

"Second General Overseer Mizu. It's a pleasure to meet you, mister Bang."

Bang took in the formal greeting, just like he would with a very bad cold, then took in the man. Tall, slim, his immaculate suit was so spotless, tight and wrinkle-free that it seemed like someone had wrapped him with it, building it like an armor on a building. Two eyes looked at him from a handsome face, one the color of the sea and full of cordiality, the other a mechanical contraption alight with unliving red. The man's shaving was absolutely perfect. Bang could almost smell the crisp aftershave.

The man extended a hand toward him, smiling gently. A perfect gesture for a perfect expression for a perfect greeting. Just what a perfect hot would give to an esteemed guest.

Yep. Bang was sure of it. He wasn't welcome there. More, this Mizu man, he couldn't stand him, not one bit.

How did he reach that conclusion? Call it instinct. He was old, and had had to do with many, many, people that couldn't stand him for a reason or the other. He had learned to feel animosity, displeasure, disdain and so on by smell. Maybe it was the perfect politeness, maybe the just long enough wait, not too short not too long, maybe it was the threatening vibe sent off from the two machines. Whatever the reason, right now his nose was going crazy with warnings.

He smiled, and reciprocated the greeting.

"The pleasure is mine." The man's grip was firm and slick like a snake's grasp. "How's the Minister?"

Retreating his hand, Mizu used it to straighten a runaway lock of hair. "Minister Sitch enjoys good health, but his schedule for today is already full. He charged me with conveying his displeasure at not being able to welcome you personally."

Bang felt the strictly business-like tone of those words like a cloying perfume. The translation was easily done: i get that you ask because you'd rather talk to him, and be sure that i take full offence at it.

He didn't care what that suit thought, but a busy Sitch meant trouble. The man was the go-to when issues were brewing, especially when there were corporate interests colliding. Of course, it could always be a lie, but from what he had been seeing until now, he thought it was not.

"I'd like to pass to your business straight away, if you don't mind." Mizu gave him a small nod, smile unflinching. "What brought you here?"

Mh, straight to business. Well, it suited him.

Coming there, Bang had thought of ways with which to tell his story. They all mainly involved a great deal of honesty, since the situation wasn't one that allowed for nothing less. But they were thought for Sitch's ear, not for this one's.

Or whoever kept the strings of those two robots. Something told him that he knew the answer.

He scrapped them all right away.

"I met a monster." He said, looking straight in the eyes of the man, dropping all pretenses of cordiality in favor of seriousness. "It was tremendously strong and a comrade of mine has been greviously wounded by it. It's my intention to face it, but i need help."

He wanted to convey his seriousness, and, judging by how Mizu shifted his left foot of a hairbreath, it seemed to work. That man had the marks of someone that could take pressure like a mountain a fly.

The suit took a moment to answer and when he did, he did slowly, seeming to weight his words. "This monster… have you fought it?"

"No. It was beyond my strenght."

"But then, have you seen it?"

"Yes."

The business-like mask of Mizu shifted. A crack, appeared and hidden so fast that anybody else could have swore that it was never there. Bang registered, but kept the thought there. He had heard enough talk of "heroes not doing their jobs" to last him a lifetime. Another one didn't faze him.

Still, this one was a bit different by simple criticism for lack of effort. He couldn't put his finger where exactly, though.

"It has done damage? Where is it?" Mizu's hand was already running to the auricular in his ear as he gave that question, and it stopped when Bang shook his head.

"I don't know his actual position, and it hasn't done no damage. At least, not to any inhabited building." He raised a finger. "Still, that big hole in the center of Z-City. It is its doing."

Bang was serious, completely. He had no love for suits like Mizu, but no true hatred also, and was more than ready to put his all, efforts and informations both, to help what he felt was a truly dangerous situation.

So, seeing the man relax visibly, and a small smirk appear on his face confused him greatly. Of all reactions he was ready to see, that he didn't expect.

"The hole. Yes." Mizu picked an unexistant hair from his already spotless suit. His wicked satisfaction broke through even his mask, like misty light through a cracked white wall. "We've already deceived reports about it, and, you may remain assured, already located the culprit and took measures about it."

Bang arched a bushy eyebrow at that. Now, that was unexpected. "Is that so? Do you mind if i ask you some precisations?"

Mizu didn't answer, at least not with words. With that barely lopsided grin plastered on his face, he gestured for Bang to follow him, and left the room.

Bang eyed both the robots, lifeless gazes staring straight back, then followed, the two machines coming right after him.

Mizu led him through the corridors of the Association. They were a lot more silent than what Bang remembered, and a lot more desert.

He almost didn't recognize the place.

They had barely crossed ways with a couple of people against ten robots when Mizu turned to enter into another room, the heavy door sliding smoothly to let him pass.

To Bang's relief, there were people inside. Operatives, dozens of them, leaning on rows of computers and trafficking with other technological mambo-jambo that he couldn't even name. He stopped by the door, took in the hushed atmosphere of people at work. He hadn't noticed how much he had missed seeing human faces. That place sure played a number on him.

Mizu waited for him by a large black table that filled almost half of the room. A sparse groups of operatives were dispersing to make them space. The suit was already fiddling with a control panel when Bang reached him, the two robotic guards in tow.

"We have started investigations as soon as the first reports arrived." He began. The dribbling satisfaction of earlier was gone, replaced by the coldly business-like tone. Bang decided that the boy had to work on his poker face a little bit yet. He surely showed potential though.

"Our surveillance network picked them up a couple of hours after." Mizu pushed a last button, and the table lit up with digital light. It quickly formed into tri-dimensional shapes. A landscape appeared before Bang, so perfectly rendered that it might well be a little reproduction of the real world.

He saw a rocky desert. Tall formations of red stone pockmarked its surface, seeming almost to flare under the blistering sun.

Bang recognized the place. It was a small wasteland between Z-City and the much distant A-City. What he didn't recognize was the… thing… walking at the center of the picture.

It looked like a toy put together by a toddler. All its body was formed by rough polihedra of what looked like black metal, clumped together in a discordant order, like whoever built it did so only half-heartedly, or with something of an abstract sense in mind. The central torso was slim and elongated, bulging there and then with ragged edges and discordant angles. Eight legs, long and thin, emerged from it, ending on sharp points. They were all of different lenghts, so the thing had to advance with an uncoordinated gait that was almost painful to watch. The head was a large triangle that opened into a slumping maw, from which drippled black fluid, of which the thing left behind a trail. A large, single eye bulged from the center, yellow like pus, with a pin-prick black pupil that shifted costantly.

Bang frowned, weather-beaten forehead furrowing.

That thing brushed his instinct with a sense of wrongness that he had never felt before. It felt like a black spot on his perceptions. Comparing it to the desert around, he judged it to be at least forty meters tall.

As he watched, the thing smashed one of the rocky pillars out of the way like it was a tower of toothpicks, sending debris and stones the size of buildings flying. It wasn't only big, it was strong also, of that he was sure.

He turned to Mizu, watching him quizzically. As big and powerful as that thing was, it wasn't enough to make that hole in such a small span of time.

The suit was ready for the question. Other keys flashed and other three images appeared alongside the first. A forest, a verdant valley, a rocky bluff, they all showed a different landscape, but each had its version of the first monster. They had wildly different forms, one was grotesquely big and dragged itself forward with enormous arms while four stunded legs dangled behind; another was incredibly thin and floated instead of walking, but all shared the same jumbled, uncoordinated appearance.

"We've appraised the levels of these four monsters to be Dragon at least." Mizu explained. "Their traces all start from that hole. We believe them to be some kind of subterrean lifeforms that have pushed their way up to the surface. We've already have counter-measures working to neutralize them."

Bang watched the four things advance in their small projected world, thoughtfully stroking his mustaches. Four Dragons like that? That was… unexpected, and concerning.

Mizu seemed to read his thoughts. "You don't have to worry." He said confidently. "The Association has more than enough forces to neutralize much more than this. Four of these beings are nothing special."

Bang sneaked a glance at the suit, receiving a coldly cordial nod. Whatever word that man said it could very well be read as a small insult. He had to admit, he was surprised by the amount of poison this Mizu seemed to harbor toward him… or maybe toward what he represented?

He turned to look back at the projection of the monsters. The second, a serpent made of irregular shapes, seemed to show some kind of distress. It jerked and wailed, the moltitude of tiny legs on its sides scratching at the air. It gave a sudden lurch, fell down and then reared back once again, like it was fighting against some force pressing down on it. Bang recognized the handywork of Tatsumaki. Welp, that particular issue could be said to be well and done then. The first also seemed to be under attack. Missiles, or some other kind of projectiles, were raining down on it. As Bang watched, an explosion enveloped its head, sending it rearing back in a rain of black fluids.

"Good, good…" He mumbled. Still, something wasn't right here.

Bang turned to Mizu. There was part of the same kind of wicked satisfaction of earlier in the man's eyes.

He almost regretted the words he had to say. It felt like kicking a hornet's nest.

"These aren't the monster i saw."

Mizu stopped, fingers hovering just above the keyboard. He took a breath, closed his mouth, then turned back at him. His lips were tight, and the single good eye just narrowed. It was subtle, but the hostility giving off him hit Bang's instinct like a wave of heat. Still, he didn't divert his gaze. He nodded, confirmating what he had just said.

The man straightened up, picking at his suit for a moment.

"Mister Bang." He began, tensely. Silver Fang noticed the immediate tension into the room. All the operatives seemed to listen intently, while making sure to show that they were still working. "Do you know the Association's actual position?"

Bang tilted his head, and said nothing.

Mizu took the invitation to continue. He straightened his jacket, expression cold. "Right now, half of the S-Class is recuperating from the battle with the Monster Association, and in no condition to engage in battle. Number 1 Blast is currently unavailable, and so Drive Knight and Pig God. Our main assets, Tornado of Terror and Mister Bofoi, are currently engaged with dealing with the Dragon threats. I don't need to give you further precisation about the Association's current fighting strenght." He left those words hang into the air, watching him coldly.

Bang frowned, unfazed. "I thought that you said that the Association could easily take more than four Dragon threats." He calmly pointed out.

"It is so." Mizu narrowed his eye, the other blinking dangerously. He gestured to the third of the projection. Bang saw that the monster in it was fighting with something, but it wasn't under psychich or missile assault. There was a small figure, a fly compared to the colossus, that twirled and buzzed around it at incredible speed, deftly avoiding the many flailing appendages while seeming to torment the monster in a way that he couldn't see well.

"The power of the Association is greater, much greater than this." Mizu said, both hands on the table, voice just a little too louder. "But right we are in the middle of… adjustements. They will end soon, don't be afraid." He planted his gaze on him.

Bang gave a last look at the strange, unusual thing fighting the monster, then turned at him, and did just the same.

For a long, tense moment, the two faced each other, neither of them lowering their gaze.

"Your concern in keeping the Association's efforts focused is admirable, Overseer." Bang said eventually. A smile softened his expression. "But i assure you, this is no false alarm. I wouldn't come here if it was."

"Exactly." Mizu replied, his face a stone mask. "I have only the best interests of the Association, and of society at large, in mind."

"Good. Then i am sure you'll act accordingly." He gave himself a small pat on the back. "I am getting old, you see. For some reason that i can't fathom a couple of people listen to me but i'd really have the help of professional heroes for this. That's their job, isn't? To hunt monsters and make sure they don't hurt people." He chuckled. "And help poor old men like me."

Mizu said nothing, his gaze growing somehow more heated and colder at the same time.

Bang wasn't fazed. He looked right back, smiling, his own gaze calm and soft.

He was just starting to wonder if some more determinated prodding was needed when the tense silence was broken by the sliding of a object on the table.

Bang looked down at the small notebook-like thing that had been pushed toward him.

"You can find the list of the available heroes on that pad." Mizu said, adjusting the wrists of his suit with barely restrained disdain.

The room seemed to take a breath of relief, the tension lessening.

Bang cautiously took the pad. At the touch of a key, the small monitor lit up with an orderly list of names, each corresponding to a rank, a title, combat parameters and more.

"Well, this is just what i needed." He said with a smile. "Thank you, Overseer."

Mizu trew a withering glance his way. "Those two guards will show you the way to the heroes you can pick." He leaned to pick on the keyboard, giving him the metaphorical and literal cold shoulder. "I hope you have a good day."

Bang took that as his cue to leave.

He nodded, smiling, turned and walked away, pad in hand. The two robots followed him without a word, as well as the subtle attention of the operatives and the burning mark of Mizu's eyes on his back.

Only when he was outside the room, and the door had slided close behin him, he allowed himself a sigh.

Well, that had been… interesting. He had never been much loved in there from all the mess with Garou, but that frontal assault was new. It looked like things had really changed in the Association.

Glancing at the unmoving robots, he opened the pad, scanning the list. What he saw only deepened his concerns. The Association had always been somewhat permissive with its Heroes, allowing them to do their things until they didn't disgrace the name too much. They had their figures of renown, sure, like Sweet Mask, but that was the exception, not the rule. From what he saw in there, instead, the heroes were monitored much more tightly. Even their activities were held under record.

"Something is changing." He mumbled. "And really not at the right moment."

Tighter control over heroes, reliance over machines, disdain for individuals, like him, that didn't give complete affidability. A name came to his mind for such a change, and it wasn't reassuring, at all.

"Mister Bofoi, mh?"

He had his share of meetings with the men, never in person, and they had been all unpleasant. He didn't need his well-oiled instinct to see the mind full of gears of Metal Knight beyond all of that.

He sighed again, closing the pad and turning to one of the robots.

"Let's go."

The machine dutifully obeyed, starting to stomp down the corridor. Bang followed with resignation, trying to not give much attention to the other robot hounding him closely.

While he walked, he realized why Mizu's reaction seemed different to him. It wasn't the classic reaction of a suit to perceived incompetence. It was the irritation for seeing a tool fail to do its job for the upteenth time, but hopefully for the last.

A subtle difference, but the implications were enough to make him shiver.

He really hoped that he was reading too much into it.

* * *

When the old fart finally decided to scram, Mizu left the sneer he was struggling to contain appear on his face.

He swept the room with his gaze. Sure enough, all the dependants knew better that to meet it with their own. They just scurried to their work. Pleasant to see that at least they knew their proper place.

With a scoff, he turned away from the table. He fiddled with the trasmitter in his ear for a moment, unwilling to face what it was going to come, but then he just activated it. It wasn't like he could escape it.

"Mizu here." He said. "I couldn't dissuade him. I am sorry, sir."

A voice, cold and deep and slow, replied from the other side of the trasmission.

"You've been a fool to oppose him in this."

Mizu stiffened, but bit back his words. To talk back would only lead him to worst.

"Silver Fang may have lost the board's trust." The voice continued. "But he's still an authority in the world of the martial arts. We'd have to take his word even if only to avoid for him to go ask help from his associates."

"Yes." Mizu agreed tensely. "He made present that to me." The implied threat of that old man was a bad sting, and it still prickled.

"Quite. You should have pressed him for informations about this monster of his. With a more welcoming attitude, we could have chosen what heroes send and how to deal with the matter ourselves."

Mizu felt a knot form into his stomach. "I… i see. You're right, sir. I am sorry."

"You're right to be. But you're right also in your intollerance for that man. I share it myself. You may have handled the situation wrongly, but it's ultimately unconsequential. We have the monsters under control, and we'll take care of this other one also… if it exists." There was a pause, during which Mizu uncosciounsly held his breath. "It may not be such a bad result. The age of unruly wolves like Silver Fang is over. It's good that they start to understand it."

Mizu couldn't repress the relief flooding through him "Yes, sir."

"Mh, get back to work. We'll speak again of this later."

The connection cut, and Mizu felt part of the tension he accumulated leave him. He got scolded, but all in all it went much better that he hoped for. Relief quickly turned to a mixture of vindication and irritation. That lousy old man and his unreasonable requests! Had he not been clear enough when he talked about the Association's actual status? Like they needed to start hunting ghosts, when they had the monsters right before their noses. Well, he could go and run around like he wanted. They would do the actual work, and this time they'd do it properly.

Feeling better, Mizu straightened his jacket one last time, making sure that there were no wrinkles, and returned to work.

Very far away, in a room of which the only lights came from great monitors, Doctor Bofoi stood thinking.

Mizu was a fool, like all the others he had the displeasure to work with. Letting his emotions push him to such obvious mistakes. What a child.

Still, what Silver Fang said gave him food for thought. His scanners had shown no other energetic trace coming out of that hole, if not those four beasts. There could be a fifth? If that was the case, it was much smaller, much more intelligent and still with enough power to push the Number 3 to come asking for help. Silver Fang might be a relic of the past, but he still wielded power and experience that couldn't simply be passed over.

He looked at one of the monitor. It displayed one of his pets fight against the third beast. There was no need for his direct involvement. The reinforced AI was more than enough for the job. Still, it was a beast of interesting properties. A more advanced stage of it…

He went to tap over the keyboard, moving between video feeds, until the screen stopped over the vision of a particular robot. The back of Silver Fang, immersed into the reading of the pad, stood right at the center.

Bofoi watched it for a moment, fingers hovering over the key, then tapped some others more.

He would keep a few of his many eyes over this matter. It might turn unconsequential, but also might not. Still, it was an unknown and as such deserved to be addressed. Everything not under his control had. He had waited for this moment for too long to allow for anything less.

High on orbit, jerked into action by invisible threads, satellites started to shift.


	5. Chapter 5

"What?!"

The slam of Fubuki's hand on the console, and that single word, exploded into the room like a thunderbolt.

The B-Class Hero 1 was painfully aware of the concerned or scared stares all her subordinates were giving her, as well as the fact that a leader has to be the first to mantain calm, but she couldn't bring herself to be bothered by it in that moment.

"Repeat what you just said. Now." She hissed, putting deadly weight upon every word.

"O-oh, yes! Y-yes, ma'am!" The man, one of her scouts, seemed more disconcerted by her outburst that from what he had just reported. Irritation flared up, but Fubuki clamped it down.

"W-we have seen signs of battle!" He said. "S-someone has been engaging the monsters!"

"Are you absolutely sure that it's the monsters we're searching for?" Fubuki fanatically climbed to that hope. Nobody could have been so stupid to engage those monsters!

"Y-yes, ma'am." Was the reply. "We've located all of three of them. T-they answer to the descriptions." The man concluded, sounding almost apologetic.

Fubuki felt a surge of hatred even as her hopes came brutally crumbling down. It's not to me that you must apologize for, she thought, it's from those things you should be scared, goddammit. But it wasn't like it was his fault. She had to remain calm. Calm!

She had the experience. It was tough, it was difficult, but she was a pro at masking what she thought or how she felt. It was a work of compartmentalizing. Cut the flow of emotions before they manage to reach your face. Almost an art, really.

She crossed her arms, clutching at herself only a little too much, straightening herself up. Her mind raced to recompose the situation. Someone had attacked those monsters. From what his subordinates said, there had been some kind of fight. But then, how come her network didn't get not even a whiff of it? It was a patrol that had ended up on the scene, almost by accident. How the hell a fight like that could go under the radar? It didn't make any sense.

Fubuki took a breath, feeling the attention of the room upon herself. It was useless to freak out. First, she needed to understand. When she spoke again, her voice was firm and commanding.

"Where are you now?"

"C-close by, ma'am. We can get close whenever you want."

"No. Keep your distance." The last thing she wanted was for her subordinates to be tangled into some crazy high-level fight. "Make a scouting run of the neighborhood. Check the inhabitants' status. Lowest profile."

Falling back to more earth-level jobs and familiar wording seemed to renew the man's steadiness.

"Yes, ma'am. Right away."

"Fubuki nodded. "Good." She threw a pointed look around, making it look like she was noticing that the entire room had stilled to watch her only then. "Back to work, all of you."

The firm reprimand hit home, and with a choral "yes, ma'am" the operatives returned to their stations. Even if they knew the position of this particular problem, there was always work to do there.

Fubuki battled with the nervousness building into her chest, repressing the urge to bite at her nail. Just what she hoped to avoid, someone sticking his nose in and starting a fight. Who was it? Who was the idiot? And why the hell her network didn't caught immediate notice of it? She'd better have answers, fast.

Now the situation was moving into unknown territory. Those aliens were already a wildcard. What would they do now that someone provoked them? Whatever it was, the first thing was to make sure that civilians didn't get involved.

Lily, dutifully waiting behind her, shifted uneasly, and she drew strenght from that. The girl had developed an uncanny talent to pick her true thoughts. She had to mantain calm, even if just for her.

"What patrols are close by?" She asked, and nodded receiving the reply. "Order them to converge at once. Exploratory scouts only."

And that was that. Now she could only wait. It was frustrating, but right now it was the only…

"M-ma'am?"

It wasn't the surprise of hearing back from the patrol so quickly that sent that sudden shadow of ice skidding across her back. It was his voice that did so. It… trembled, it held fear.

Everybody in the room heard it, heard its terrified tone. All work stopped, silence fell.

Fubuki didn't stop enough to let herself bogged down. "Speak."

"M-ma'am."

More ice, sluicing down her spine.

"Hawk." She said, remembering the scout's title. She struggled to keep her voice level. "I hear you. What is happening?"

"M-ma'am. T-they are all… they a-are all…" The man seemed almost close to tears.

Fubuki felt ice fingers sneaking on her skin. "Hawk!" She called, too nervous to keep her voice calm, to keep the appearance of the leader. Something was happening there, something bad. "Speak, goddammit! What is happening there?"

And Hawk spoke. He said everything he saw, sobbing, wheezing, barely managing to keep himself from just breaking down and start to cry.

After a moment, Fubuki widened her eyes. A cup of coffee shattered, somewhere in the room. An operative left documents fall from slack fingers.

It was like a spell had fallen upon the room. Nobody talked, nobody moved.

Fubuki was the first to break it. Plunging her teeth in her lip, she spun around. Walking past a trembling Lily, that covered her mouth with a hand, she took out her cellphone and dialed a number. She promised herself she wouldn't call Silver Fang for nothing. In that moment, she not even slowed down to think about it.

"Fubuki? What…"

Fubuki slammed her hand against the wall of the corridor, both to vent her emotions and to keep herself up. "We have a problem."

* * *

Bang frowned. Fubuki had the admirable capacity to mask her distress, but he was too old and had to do with too many people to be fooled. The girl was struggling to hold it together.

"Where are they?" He asked.

The reply was quick and to the point. "B-City. But…"

"Mh, it's close." Bang grumbled. "Good. We'll go there immediately."

A pause. "Bang?"

"Yes?" He raised a bushy eyebrow. It was the first time that Hurricane called him by name.

"Be careful, alright?"

Despite everything, a smile still managed to make his way on his face. "I will."

He closed the call, guilt rising at having lied. Newbie-bullying aside, Fubuki was an admirable young woman and didn't deserve to be lied to, not when she was in such a distress. But he couldn't have differently. To say the truth, that going there right now was with all likelihood the complete opposite of being careful, would only upset her more.

With a small sigh, he turned to the heroes waiting for him.

There were three of them, the best he could pick up amongst those free heroes during that period of transition. He had found them in the hyper-equipped multi-gym of the Headquarters. They trained, despite having only recently come out from a dire crisis and having all the right to rest. A-Class, all of them, great warriors and true heroes, standing if not at the peak, close to it, each of them more than capable to take on dozens of monsters and together maybe even enough to face a S-Class or an enemy of comparable level.

Bang painfully wished to be able to say that they would be enough.

The three heroes waited for him by the exit of the Hero Association Headquarters, one of the many secondary ones of the gargantuan building.

The first, practially hopping from sheer enthusiasm, was a cheerful young woman. She wore a brightly pink overall, with white strips on her shoulders, sides and thighs. Her belt was white also, with a big buckle in the shape of a flower on the front, and so her gloves. The same shape was emblazoned on her chest as a white emblem. A round helmet of the same color of the outfit covered her head, with a plastic visor hiding her eyes. It left only her lips visible, curved into a excited smile.

A-Class Hero 12, Super Ranger Major.

Somewhat petite, she looked exactly the opposite of a soldier, or anything that should come close to a battlefield for what it mattered. Bang could almost see the smiles and butterflies and flowers swirling around her in a small pink cloud of happiness. Try to connect this happy young woman with one of the rising stars of the Association was a little disorientating.

The second, standing a little back, was her opposite in every way.

Tall, well-muscled and wide-shouldered, the man was covered with a poncho that seemed woven from hay and rags and that covered a worn-out military outfit. He had an unkept mane of black hair forming into spikes, framing a grim face made of hard angles. Three long, horizontal scars marred his cheekbones and forehead.

The man shifted slightly, moving with the lethal grace of a predator. The thick barrel of the machine gun that replaced his right arm shifted with him. The killing instinct he emanated was like a miasma into the air, like red fog.

A-Class Hero 8, Death Gatling.

Bang heard he had been involved in some problems with the Association recently, but didn't know the particulars and right now it didn't matter. The man had all the marks of the warrior upon him, and, as Bang's gaze passed over him, he nodded back with grim certainty, not a speck of fear apparent for the upcoming mission.

Yes, a warrior, no doubt. Still, his old wolf's instict picked something else also, a taint, a restlessness. He couldn't understand exactly what it was, and there wasn't nor the time nor the means to do it.

The third kept themselves even further back, like they didn't want to take part of the company. Of gender undefinable, they wore a black ninja garb that completely covered their head and body. Vambrace protections peeked from the wide sleeves of the garb. Their feet wore the traditional footwear of ancient japan, with a string between the first and second toes. A long-bladed katana rested unsheated on their back.

Arms crossed, feet close, they stood perfectly still. Even their eyes were closed. Someone else could have thought they could have fallen asleep, but not Bang. He could feel their focus hang into the air like fingers hovering over a sword's handle.

A-Class 33, Shadow Ring. They bore the signs of the assassin, this one.

Bang made sure to not let his concern show. That little squad wasn't nothing to scoff at, and in other situations he wouldn't be troubled. He was confident that, together, they could bring down a bunch of Demon Levels without much trouble. But that wasn't a normal situation and as much as strong and passionate these young ones were, none of them, himself included, had the strenght to smash a meteorite with a single punch. And their enemy had the potential to stand even higher.

He was concerned, deeply, but after what Fubuki told him, he couldn't just stand back and wait. His coscience wouldn't allow him, not now that the Association seemed fixed upon the wrong objective.

A wave of resignation passed over him, but he repressed it before it became a sigh. In a way, he could understand them. They were in a delicate situation, and the last thing they needed now was other big troubles, other big variables. They had found a way to explain the crater, jumped to it and now wouldn't be let themselves be removed by it. To do that would mean to lose an easy solution and exchange it with a sea of problems. Better to stick to strict realism and dismiss the rest as baseless chatter.

Yes, he could understand their point of view. It didn't make it easier, but he could.

"We're ready, Silver Fang, sir!"

Bang eyed the cheerful Super Ranger Major, the young woman snapping excitedly to attention. The way Death Gatling and Shadow Ring seemed to sag of the smallest bit didn't escape him. He couldn't but smile a bit. It seemed like that girl's energy could wear down the young'uns.

Another spike of guilt made him rub his fingers together, thoughtful. He couldn't but be honest now.

"This mission is gonna be difficult." He began without preamble, regarding all three of them. " I have only a few information about our enemy, but what i know is enough to say this: death is a very real chance, and that includes even an old-timer like me." He left those words sink. All the three heroes were listening intently. Even Shadow Ring was watching him. "If you want to back down, you're free to do it, but if you're ready to follow me, i need you to be ready to face death at any moment." He didn't ask if they understood. He peered into each of their gazes, leaving to the seriousness of his eyes to bring the weight of his words to home.

The three heroes exchanged glances, Death Gatling and Shadow Ring discretly, Super Ranger Major spunning left and right.

"Well, if i can, Silver Fang, sir!" The young woman jumped, raising a hand like a school girl.

Bang nodded, briefly wondering if maybe he should try to convince this girl to remain behind.

"Well, sir, but it's just what we do!" Major spread her arms cheerfully, eyes jumping from the other two heroes like she was trying to include them too. "We fight terrible monsters all the time! We risk all the time! It's our job!" She took a heroic pose. "To fight enemies that are stronger that you! To shed your blood and tears in defence of the weak! This is what heroes do!" She laughed. "Sometimes we get beaten up, but we always get right back! And that's what heroes do too! Right, guys? Right?" She said with her bubbly voice, in her bubbly manner, but Bang felt it. The weight. The conviction, behind every word. It was a deep thing, running down the happy appearance in a river.

Death Gatling and Shadow Ring nodded, and that same conviction was in their eyes too.

Major smiled at him, wide and happy, and for a moment Bang found himself lacking for words.

His expression softened, pride welling in his chest despite knowing that these three weren't his to judge or weight.

"Yes, that's what heroes do." He repeated, lips curving into a smile.

It seemed that all the time passed amongst the top, where defeat always seemed a remote possibility, had made him forget that there were others, beyond all the flashy moves and style, that fought against adversity, challenging monsters despite knowing that they could be not strong enough to come out on top. True heroes, that built their name on the battlefield, laughing in the face of death and danger. They could be weaker that their enemy, they could be defeated, but always they stepped to the challenge, because what else could make a hero?

Bang closed his eyes, and for a moment he was in his youth again, a scrappy little boy, punching against wood until his knucles were bloody raw, unable to sleep for all his aching muscles, cursing and spitting in defeat, but always returning, always charging back into the fray.

"Good." He chuckled, banishing back the memories in the shadows of his mind. "I guess i will take that as a yes, then." He gave them a warning finger. "I will need you to follow my orders, though. If we have to make out of this, we'll have to work together, and no mistake allowed."

Major snapped to attention, and Bang could just picture Shadow Ring and Death Gatling doing the same, from how they straightened up.

He smiled, and gestured for them to follow.

"Let's go. I will give you more details on the way."

Bang moved and didn't need to loock back to know that the trio was following him.

Brave, young heroes. He truly had done them an unjustice by understimating their commitments. He would be honored to fight at their sides.

And still, what they were racing toward was a thing of might that even that level of commitment could be not enough to repel. His hope was stoked, but his concern and doubt weren't gone, only dimmed. Together they were strong, yes, but were they strong enough? He couldn't say. The only thing they could do was to try and fight, just like heroes would. And even if defeat was their destiny, he swore that he wouldn't allow for any of these young stars to be snuffed out. He had lived a long enough life, and if this was to be his end, he was ready to embrace it.

But enough of that. They were strong and they would fight at their absolute best. If they wanted to win, if they wanted to survive, that was everything they had to focus on right now.

* * *

B-City was close to the was-A-City, now only an empty plain aside from the Association Headequarters, and that made it only more disquieting. If something happened this close, information had to arrive asap, it just had. It couldn't work any other way, not the with the massive number of connection and survellaince that existed in that time and age.

And still, it didn't, and that meant that something was wrong, something big.

B-City ended abruptly, clustered cityscape giving way to rocky desert without transition. It was an old city, made dusty at the edges by the ever-encroaching nature. Large and compact, it had grown with the centuries in a bewildering array of different styles and urbanistic chaos. The great part of the region's popolation lived there, clustered like a flock of birds around the biggest concentration of water, its inhabitants living off the land with high-technology agriculture, mining and, relatively recently, turism. It was supposed to be a city of clanking machines and continuos work, of ceaseless industry rigorously kept apart from the all the nice and quiet places turists were channelled to.

Bang felt it the moment they approached the city's periphery. The silence. It was heavy like a shroud, so much that he could almost feel it, a living thing pressing down on him with a hundred eyes.

"Something's not right." Death Gatling said, eyes flicking around with caution. Bang heard the small clack of the man taking the safety off from his massive weapon.

The others just nodded, sharing the feeling.

They were at the extreme outskirts of the city, behind them a highway that disappeared into the desert. The street was large, the buildings well-distanced, just how it was built when there was space aplenty. Close by, a blinking electronic sign glumly welcomed into a gas station. There was not a soul on sight. Sand swirled and danced into the wind. It glinted gold under a sun that was so torrid to be unforgiving. The little breeze, carrying the desert's warmth, was barely a relief into the stifling heat.

Bang eyed the noodle-arms manikin that writhed at the entrace of an car enclosure, calling people to enter and buy whatever it was sold inside. It was the most active thing in the place. The image of a cemetery came to his mind, but he doggedly pushed it back. Too soon to make that kind of assumption.

"Let's go." He said, and the other three nodded.

The group started to move.

Bang was reassured once again of his choosing. Even before such an unusual situation, the three A-Class heroes had already shifted into battle stances, not a flicker of uncertainty or fear. Even without his prompt, they took a formation that covered all the group's angles, guarding each other's back. They had training, these young'uns. He was glad of it.

During the travel to B-City, speed had been preferred to caution. Here, the opposite was true.

Without knowing what to expect, with their well-oiled instincts telling them to be careful, they slowly but surely made their way into the city, making use of their speed to cover vast distances even while they continuously kept checking over their sorroundings and each other. Wordlessly, they shifted to hand signals, a code of which was mandatory to know for high-level heroes, like they feared that breaking that silence could attract something that they didn't wish to attract.

They never met anybody. The streets of the city outskirts they crossed were devoid of life. Doors swung back and forth, pushed by the desert wind. Shreds of paper rolled across empty sidewalks. In the distance, the alarm of a car went on, unheard. The buildings loomed upon them, like watching giants.

Nobody and still, there was something there, hidden amongst the nooks and crannies of twisting streets. Bang felt it like an itch. Something was watching them.

"It's the first time i see Goose Street empty." Major commented, a cheerful lilt in her voice despite everything. The young woman held the lead, her fists raised. Bang had given up on the position only grudgingly, but she was a native and the best guide they had.

"Do you come back here often?" Death Gatling asked. His weapon was raised at eye level as he held the right. Shadow Ring held the back, their silent countenance adequate to their title.

"Yup! Anytime i don't get a job from the Association!" She replied. "My kohai were supposed to hold guard here today…" She left the phrase hanging with a note of concern..

Bang couldn't blame her. That place looked as empty as the old Z-City's centre had been during the meteorite situation. To remember that episode, and how Saitama had resolved it, put fuel to his doubt, but he refused to entertain them.

He watched the restaurant at their left. The outside tables were still cluttered with plates and mugs and, through the large windows, he could see the same inside.

He simply couldn't understand. Something had happened here, something that he wished not to dwell about right now, but how had passed under the radar? We were talking about, what, hundred, thousands of people? The more they looked, the more it seemed like that. How it was possible that…?

"Oh! Wha…?"

Bang spun around, mind kicking into battle-mode. Major had stopped, hands fumbling with the front of her helm. For a cold moment he thought she was wounded, but then she stopped and turned to them, looking surprised.

Bang blinked, uncertain. What was happening?

"Major?" He asked, exchanging a glance with the other two heroes. They too had shifted their weapons to the supposed menace and now looked as uncertain as him.

Major hesitated, lips scrunched with uncertainty. "There is something…" She reached at the empty space before her. Under her fingers, the air… rippled?

Major gave a small eep and jumped back but the effect of her touch didn't stop. Bang widened his eyes as the street before them distorted, like they were seeing it through a pool of water. Under the four heroes' astonished gazes, the ripple extended to touch the buildings. A couple more followed before the space stabilised once again. When it stopped, there was no trace that there could be something strange with the road ahead.

"Well, this is something…" Major commented, her lips curving into a curious smile.

Death Gatling was less impressed. "Some kind of barrier?" He asked.

"Maybeeee…"

"Please, don't touch it."

"I am just controlling what it is!"

"No need to risk losing a finger for it."

"Wha, really?"

While the duo bickered, Bang frowned. There wasn't anything like that in Fubuki's report.

"I suggest we advise HG, sir Fang." Shadow Ring said, eying the street ahead with cool suspicion.

Bang nodded slowly. With this, even they couldn't negate that something big was going on. He took out his cellphone, a technological monster that he never managed to completely understand, hated to the guts and right now was more than happy to have. It was supposed to have satellitar cover and beeing hooked to some kind of ultra-preferential route or something like that. What it mattered to him, it was that the thing couldn't be blocked and what he passed in it usually reached the right, and wrong, ears quick enough.

The message of lack of signal blinking on the display deepened his frown.

"This shouldn't be." He murmured. He turned to look at the trio.

Major only tilted her head, a finger held uncomprehendely to her lips, but Shadow Ring and Death Gatling got the message.

"Nothing. No signal." Death Gatling said, peering at his phone like it was an ugly frog monster. Shadow Ring just shook their head once.

Bang didn't wait for Major to fumble out her own cellphone and chirp the same answer. His fingers were already dialing the number of the HQ. It wasn't supposed to work, bu he was too old to just give up before not-working technology. He belonged to a generation older that the one that fixed tvs by slamming it on the top. The cellphone rebuffed his stubborness, remaining mute. Undeterred, he tried Fubuki's.

To his relief, it worked.

"Bang?" Came the young woman's tense voice.

Silver Fang didn't dwell on the supposed impossibility of that call. "We found something." He said. He looked at the deceptively normal-looking street. "Some kind of barrier. Like a pool of water. It blocks an entire street."

"I-i see." Fubuki sounded somewhat stunned. "Can you pass around it?"

Bang picked a pebble from the street and glanced up. Rearing up, he took a huff and threw with all his strenght. The pebble disappeared into the sky lie a bullet, pulverising every Olympic record. Bang watched it go, shading his eyes from the sun with a hand while nodding gratefully at Major's enthusiastic comment. He thinned his lip at seeing another ripple, up into the sky.

"Don't think so." He said into the cellphone.

"I-i see." Fubuki hesitated. "Shouldn't we wait for back-up then? With something like that the Association is sure to…"

"No time, i fear." As he neared the barrier, Bang picked up another pebble. A small series of ripples emerged from where he pushed it against the strange phenomenon. He pushed, and the strange barrier seemed to give way. It felt like pudding. Bang stopped his probing and retreated. "We shall try to breach it." He said with decision. "You must inform the Association, alright?"

"Of… of course, but… are you sure?"

Bang gave a small smirk, eying the other three heroes. "I am not sure, are we?"

Death Gatling cocked his weapon. "Can't wait for back-up. We must to get in as soon as possible."

Shadow Ring nodded once, sharply.

Major pumped a fist into the air. "Yes! Let's go!"

"Well, there you have it." Bang chuckled. "But we'll try to be careful."

"You stop being careful the moment you jump inside that thing, Bang, and you know it." Fubuki's voice was thick with resignation.

Bang chuckled again.

"Listen, though." Fubuki's tone returned serious, but the anxious tone was unmistakeable. "We lost contact with the patrols inside the city."

Bang nodded slowly. "Yeah, i expected that much. Even now, i don't even know how we're having this call." His eyes steeled. "We'll find them. Don't worry."

"Thanks, Silver Fang. For real." The gratitude of Fubuki was real, and Bang was remembered once again that that leader acting so tough was still just a young woman. "When you're inside, i don't think we'll be able to communicate. But call back as soon as you're able, alright?"

"Sure. Hear you soon." Bang closed the call and turned to the barrier. Now, to get inside.

"You seem unconcerned by this." Death Gatling observed. Bang noticed the hostile undertone and wasn't surprised by it. The A-Class' dislike for the S-Class was notorious.

"I am old." He replied with a smile. "Seen enough strange things to not be surprised by another one."

Death Gatling seemed to weight that observation for a moment, like he wanted to be sure to give credit only where it was due. He eventually nodded slowly.

"Of course!" Major interjected cheerfully. "Silver Fang is an old warhorse! I bet that he's seen a lot stranger things that this one!" And while saying that, she reached for the barrier, only to have her hand nonchalantly slapped away from Shadow Ring.

"Don't be disrespectful." The garbed one droned. "And don't touch it."

In all response, Major stuck her tongue at them, nursing her offended hand.

Bang huffed out a chuckle at Shadow Ring's deadly frown.

"Any idea how to breach it?" He asked. After all that blustering, it would be rich being unable to enter.

"It seems to be permeable enough…" Shadow Ring informed, seamlessly turning away from their displeasure. They unsheated the blade on their back and pushed it into the barrier in a single, fluid motion. The weapon disappeared into the air, a series of circular ripples around it.

Shadow Ring maneuvered it around for a moment before drawing it back. The blade reappeared, untouched, but the ninja still took care at inspecting it with attention.

"It doesnt seem to be harmful." They concluded, and a small wave of relief rippled through the group. Well, that was something at least.

The ninja sheated back the weapon. "I reckon that it's ten centimeters wide at least." They informed. "Further, i couldn't feel any more resistance."

Bang nodded gratefully, a gesture that the ninja replied to with a curt bow. It made him smile.

"So, not a barrier to keep intruders out?" Major put her fists on her sides. "So, some kind of screen, then?"

The heroes echanged looks. It was obvious by now that the lack of contact from B-City was caused by this thing. The scale of it, though…

Death Gatling lifted his weapon, breaking the tense silence. "Shall we enter?"

It was all it was needed to break the empasse. The heroes nodded and turned to the barrier. Whatever was happening, whatever strenght was beyond this, they had already made up their minds more than enough. There were lives at stake, and that was enough for them to risk it.

"Bursting through it is, then!" Major marched back the way they came, twirled around and took a stance.

"Worried about your kohai?" Bang asked. Maybe it was better for him to go first…

"Only a tiny tiny bit!" And just to put the lie to that, without waiting for him to speak, Major gave a warcry and charged forward.

She disappeared into thin air in the middle of a flying kick, her voice abruptly silenced.

Shadow Ring shook their head with disapprovation. Death Gatling gave him a shrug. Bang just huffed a chuckle. All three were in edge though, even if none of three wanted to show it.

They waited for some tense moments, the widening ripples in the air the only marks of Major's passing.

Bang was just starting to get truly concerned when a pink arm sprouted out of mid-air. It flicked a beckoning gesture but if words were spoken, none reached them.

Bang ruffled his hair with a hand, not at all happy where this was going, but there was little to do, wasn't it? Ah, maybe he was getting too old for these kind of things.

His low chuckle raised a suspicious look from Death Gatling. He waved it off and walked toward the barrier. Without even thinking, he accelerated, buildings around disappearing into a blur, and dived straight through.

It felt like plunging into icy water. Frost fingers rammed into his chest, punching air out of his lungs and making his muscles clench. But before he could actually register, it was already over.

He stopped with a huff, trasforming a stumble into a disciplinated stance with ease born from decades of training. With the same honed instict for battle, he quickly took in his sorroundings.

The buildings, the street, the sky. It was all as he had left them. Nothing seemed to have changed. It was only the other side of the barrier.

Somewhat reassured, he searched for Major. He found the plucky girl at a certain distance, further down the road. She was waving at him excidetedly, probably gone into a scouting run without waiting for them to pass.

Bang didn't know if chuckle or huff. That girl had to be more prudent. She had more than them at stake, though. He supposed he could understand her.

Turning, he saw Shadow Ring and Death Gatling pass the barrier. They both quickly took in their sorroundings before relaxing their stances.

"So far, so good." He nodded to them both. "Let's continue."

He turned back to Major, wanting to call her back. It was best to stay together, now more than ever.

Only, Major wasn't there anymore.

In her place, there was a cloud of dust and debris. And sounds came from inside it, metal against metal.

Bang's body reacted even before his mind. He broke into a run, the surprised exclaimations of the other two heroes behind him.

Something small darted out of the cloud. Bang swatted it out, feeling steel meet his hand. He realized the mistake a millisecond later. The thing exploded with a deafening boom. The shockwave cracked the asphalt and flames rushed out, cooking street and air.

Band was barely staggered. He whirled a single time, the currents of his martial arts smothering away the explosion in an instant.

A black figure was upon him as his vision restored. It swung something metallic at him. With a grunt, Bang made his currents roar, blocking it between open palms.

It was a sword, he recognized, and the one wielding it... Bang's eyes slammed wide as he recognized him.

"You are Sonic!"


	6. Chapter 6

Speed-o'-Sound Sonic. A high-level mercenary, working only for millionaires and kingpins as a headhunter or bodyguard. His exploit were well-renowed into the underground, just as his exorbitant prices. His strenght had the Association classify him as an upper A-Rank criminal, wanted for murder, theft, sabotage, aggression, pubblic and private property damage and, lately, evasion.

Bang knew him. He had heard of his capture and recognized him from the description given to him by a dear friend. He had tried to reach him, but by the time he did, Sonic had already evaded out of prison. From there, a crisis after the other had kept him too occupied to search for him.

Seeing him now, in that place of everything, left him stunned.

"You, what…" He started, mind reeling from that turn of event. He left his grasp upon the blade slip of the slightest margin, and that was his mistake.

The sword ruthlessly slashed through his hands.

Bang felt it rip through his flesh and, even before pain could register fully, he was already jumping backward, at the same time as the sound of heavy gunfire ripped through the air.

He slided to a stop to a certain distance, hand running to his chest. He felt blood seep through a diagonal slash in his shirt, but didn't bother to look. He had enough of a control over his body to understand the severity of the damage right away, and that was just a scratch. What it hit him the most wasn't that, nor the anger to himself for that slip, but the viciousness of the attack. It had hit him like a dark wave.

"What the hell…" He murmured, looking as Sonic effortlessly dodged Death Gatling's barrage, the ninja ricocheting between the walls of the buildings.

"Sir Fang." Shadow Ring was suddenly at his side, the ninja's gaze asking him if he was ok.

"I am fine. Take care of Major." He could see the brightly pink figure amidst the dust, but they had to quickly ascertain her status.

Shadow Ring nodded once and speeded to comply, while Bang rushed to join the battle. As he dashed forward, Death Gatling ducked under a slash seeking for his neck and swung his heavy weapon around like a club. It shattered the concrete of the road, but the ninja was already out of the way, shurikens flying out of his hands like living things.

Death Gatling raised his weapon to shoot them down, but Bang was faster. He stood before the A-Class, his streams deviating all the projectiles like torrents of winds, sending them to explode against walls and street.

"The bastard is quick." Was all the greeting Death Gatling gave him, and Bang just nodded without turning. The A-Class sounded unconcerned by the fact of having just being subjected to a murderous assault, but he could feel his murderous aura loud and clear. It felt like giving your back to a growling lion. Not entirely pleasant.

"What is he even doing here?" Death Gatling asked with a frown, pointing his weapon.

"No idea." Bang followed the ninja as he perched against a wall, holding on it despite gravity's different opinion.

He stepped forward, ignoring Death Gatling's surprised grunt.

As he advanced into the open ground, the ninja's dark gaze following him, his mind flew back to what Fubuki had informed him of. As an old warhorse as he was, as inured to atrocity as he was still his frown deepened. Was Sonic involved also? Or…?

"Whatever you're doing, stand down, son." He warned, banishing those thoughts to a later time.

He lifted an open palm toward him. "Things here are bad enough without us fighting. So, please…"

He couldn't finish. Without a word, Sonic exploded into activity, his frame blurring as multiple shurikens were thrown Bang's way.

But what he didn't know was that the open palm gesture, that for others was a gesture of peace and to wait, for the school of Bang was a warning. The open palm was the first step toward the main stance of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

As much as he was loath to attack a person he promised to find and safekeep, Silver Bang didn't intend to have anything slow him down, not there, not in that moment.

As he walked, he had already took stock of his sorroundings. That was the second lesson that he taught to his students: to truly deflect an attack was to deflect it harmlessly. One had to keep control over what was around him, so that a victim wasn't saved in exchange of another.

For him, was like the flick of a finger. Death Gatling, behind, three meters. Shadow Ring, helping a struggling Major to her feet, ten meters to the left. The sourrounding area appeared into his mind like a map, every nook and cranny clear to his well-attuned senses.

He counted six shurikens. They were coming fast, but not fast enough.

As he moved his hands into the base defence of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist he was remembered from the past, when he quarrelled with his older brother. Two more different children couldn't be found. Him, he liked silence and to think, his brother was bolsterous and loud, always letting his actions talk before his mouth. They argued over the smallest things and matters always ended on being settled with fists. It was funny to think back at it now; they had started following their own martial paths just to outdo each other, his brother sharpening his offensive skills, him, the defence. And then, a life after, here they were, at the top of the world.

But why was he thinking about this now? Ah, maybe he truly got old.

The shurikens suddenly changed directions, scattering like a flock of birds and then falling back upon him all together.

Bang cut through each and every one of them, his hands moving too fast for anything but the clear streams to be seen. The projectiles were shredded by the impacts, and the explosions cut through and smothered down by the rushing torrents. To Death Gatling, it appeared like Bang had shifted from a relaxed posture to a combat stance without intermissions, and that the shurikens had puffed mid-air into smoke, before clanging to the ground, all of the crumpled. For a moment, even his fierce disdain for S-Class gave way under the admiration for the old man's form and power.

Only for a moment.

Posture perfect. Bang made to speak again, but didn't got the chance.

Sonic sprang toward him, concrete cracking under the force of his push.

He came fast as an arrow, but not fast enough.

If he had managed to get the jump on Bang, it was because he had the element of surprise. Now, Silver Fang was waiting for him, and going easy on the boy was far from his mind.

The sword Sonic swung at him entered into a whirlwind of energy streams and was instantly broken to pieces, then into fragments and then those were shredded into something that approached dust.

For a moment, beyond the fine mist of metallic dust, Bang fancied to see stunned surprise into the ninja's eyes. Then he reversed the flow of the streams and the moment ended abruptly as Sonic was yanked forward.

Bang slammed him face-first on the street, so hard that the concrete cracked and the ninja let out a choked gasp. But Bng wasn't impressed. Keeping hold of Sonic's head, he turned and blocked him to the ground planting a knew on his back.

"Now take a breath and calm down." He said grimly.

Sonic struggled savagely, letting out a muted wail that made Bang's skin crawl. But he held him down with determination and, when the boy didn't give sign of surrendering, gave a silent excuse to his friend. He punched him right in the middle of the shoulder blades.

Sonic arched under him, mouth working under the bandana but not sound coming out. the blow punching out all the air from his lungs. As Bang hoped, that seemed enough to quell him. The ninja crumpled down, all the fight leaving him.

Bang sighed with guilty relief. Really, he had promised to find this lad, not to beat him to a pulp. Alright, he thought it was going to be necessary even only to have him listen but still his inner grandpa nagged at him. Like that time with Charanko, he was still trying to pass over that.

"Has he calmed down?" Death Gatling asked. The A-Class eyed with wariness the fallen ninja, looking almost unsure if gaze at him with suspicion or to frown to the sword mark left on the barrel of his weapon.

Bang didn't need the spelling to understand that he would be happy to gun down the ninja there and then.

"Sure." He replied, keeping guard over Sonic even as he tried to sound truly sure. "He will give us some insight on what is happening here, i am sure of it."

To his relief, Death Gatling seemed to get the info. Don't shoot those that can help you, it was only common sense. The A-Class looked as happy as a wolf given carrots as he lowered his weapon, but Bang was glad all the same that he had enough sense to understand it.

Keeping an eye over the fallen ninja, he looked at where Shadow Ring and Major were supposed to be. He was relieved to see them both up and running, but then saw what they were doing and frowned. Were those two… bickering? Why? Major seemed like she was trying to force her way beyond Shadow Ring, with the ninja uncertain of what to do but trying to get some answers from the frantic smaller woman.

Brow furrowing, Bang tried to hear what they were talking about. It was… yes, it was about Sonic and just then Major threw Shadow Ring out of the way. She ran toward and as she ran, she screamed.

"Be careful! He has something on his neck!"

Bang had never let his guard over Sonic down. And still, what saved him was that split second warning and his danger instict suddenly flaring up.

Without thinking, he threw himself off Sonic. Something stabbed at where his head was a split second earlier, and he felt pain flare as it scratched sharply at his scalp.

A moment after he was away, rolling and rising to stand on a knee. He snapped to look back, his hands already extended into a stance, and his eyes widened as he took in the scene.

What he had taken as Sonic's scarf writhed into the air. The "thing", a tentacle made from what looked to be oily black metal, flailed like a flag under a storm, stopping only to jerk erratically left and right. It ended into a wicked point and suddenly it pointed it toward him. Bang felt his scalp itch at seeing the blood staining it edge, but didn't flinch.

Without warning, the tentacle shot toward him. It extended grotesquely, ignoring the fact that it should't have been able to cover the distance.

It was fast, but not fast enough.

"A trasforming type, mh?" Bang prepared to intercept, but never managed to.

A figure in pink invested the tentacle sideways, knocking it out of the way.

"Ten Kick!" Major roared, body in the perfect position of a dynamic entry.

As the girl's foot lodged itself into the tentacle, Bang fancied to hear it keen, a sound that painfully scraped his ears. Then, the tentacle was blown away and the impression was lost under the boom of kinetic energy exploding into the air.

"You won't take me by surprise again!" Major roared, landing beside Bang in a battle stance.

The old man took in the wound on her shoulder. A shallow cut, nothing to be concerned about. And it didn't seem to have affected the girl's spirit. On the contrary, it had only made her angry. Forget the bubbly young woman, Major felt like a ball of concentrated rage against his senses.

"Sir Fang!" Shadow Ring appeared at his side without a sound. "Are you alright?"

Silver Fang was relieved to seeing them unharmed. Well, unharmed, almost. If you forgot the fist-sized indent into the left vambrace. The ninja didn't seem to notice at all, their eyes showing the closest to distress he had seen them show until then.

Bang gave them a grunt of aknowledgement, without turning away from the tentacle. There would be time to address faults and merits, but not now.

The tentacle writhed madly on the ground, its form distorted from the blow it had taken. It bobbed and bubbled, shifting erratically from material to liquid, scattering black droplets all around. But it was regenerating, Bang saw it well. The indent left from Major's blow was quickly disappearing, the thing struggling to rise even as its form was still healing.

"By the Gpds, what is this monstrosity?" The sword of Shadow Ring flashed out of the scabbard, and the ninja took a fighting stance.

"Dead meat!" Major snarled.

Bang didn't have the time to launch a warning that the tentacle shot against them once again.

A flurry of bullets pinged aginst its side, Death Gatling finally finding a clear shot, but the thing barely registered.

Bang dashed forward to meet it. The thing thrusted at him and he was sure of it this time: a keening, barely inside the spectrum of perception. His streams flared, his hand shot to deflect. But, just as his knuckles touched the tentacle, he felt what he thought to be an iron-hard surface to be soft and malleable. His hand sank into it, the streams unable to diverge the movement. For a moment, he was sure to hear a note of triumph into the thing's keening. It ended into a curling scream when he kicked it. No stream or finesse this time, only brute force since that seemed the only way to go.

He had to admit, it felt damn good.

The tentacle shot back, writhing convulsively as its form struggled to regenerate. It had barely started to that Major and Shadow Ring was upon it, attacking it from both sides.

The ninja's sword raked through oily metal. Major's fist punched a crater into it.

The tentacle screeched, Bang felt it loud and clear. It was the sound of a wounded monster in the throes of anger and it made his skin crawl.

The tentacle whirled around and both the A-Heroes blocked and were blasted back.

"The bastard is strong!" Major cursed, landing beside Bang, quickly retaking a battle stance.

Shadow Ring did the same, moving into a more defensive stance.

"Defend yourselves." Bang said, calmly taking his own battle stance, and the two heroes exclaimed back with a "yessir!"

It wasn't a moment too soon. The tentacle shot back toward them with a keening that would have cracked glass. It lost fragments, but in its frenzy it didn't seem to even notice.

The trio was ready to take it, but suddenly the unexpected happened.

Instead of coming at them like before, the tentacle whirled on itself and shot the opposite direction, barely a pause in its movement.

Bang was still surprised for that sudden turn that a burst of heavy gunfire shot through the air. The projectiles were just a blur into the air, but the tentacle was already around Sonic's unmoving form from the time they reached him. They punched into oily metal like shrapnel through jelly, without managing to pierce it. The tentacle howled and jerked, form riddled with craters, but it still didn't let loose of its defensive formation around the fallen ninja.

Blinking with surprise, Bang turned to meet Death Gatling's gaze. He saw the challenge there, like a flame flicker, but it quickly hid behind a wall of impassiveness.

"Don't kill the boy." He called.

Death Gatling didn't lower his weapon. "He's an A-Class criminal." He simply said, like that was enough of an explanation.

Bang felt unease ripple through the other two heroes, and had to repress a grunt. Now it wasn't the time for that.

The tentacle moved, attracting all their attention. It extended once more, wrapping around Sonic again and again until the ninja disappeared under a squirming black mass.

"What is doing now?" Major cursed under her breath.

Out of instict, the heroes huddled closer, even Death Gatling.

"Whatever it happens, don't kill Sonic." Bang repeated, and seeing Death Gatling about to protest again, he added: "It doesn't matter if it's a high-class criminal. He can give us information about what is happening here. Get him alive." He emphasised the last three words, talking to all the group but in particular to the one-armed hero.

Shadow Ring and Major nodded, relief evident in the second. As much as used to battle they were, killing humans was another thing, and one that at least the pinkette would be too glad to pass on.

Death Gatling didn't seem to be of the same opinion.

"He's still a wanted criminal." He grumbled. "And that thing protected him. Maybe he's an accomplice. We should take the chance that he's alone to take him out now."

Bang was used to A-class treating him like some sort of god, but it wasn't the absolute lack of respect that took him a little aback. It was the aggressiveness, the strong dislike for the idea to spare the ninja that Death Gatling let on, the anxiety that seemed almost eagerness to kill. It was so thick that for a moment Bang wondered if there was some kind of bad blood between the two. But no, as much as he knew the heroes of the Association tended to stay away from the types like Sonic.

It was eagerness to bag some kind of success? He knew the desire to impress of the A-Class Hero, but… right now? He wanted to believe that he was better than this.

"Are we really doing this now?" Major snapped, breaking his train of thoughts. "There is a monster right here, in case you didn't notice!"

Shadow Ring gave her an outraged look, how dared she talk like that to living legend Silver Fang? Bang just smirked. Well said,young lady, well said.

"Catch him alive, if you can." He ordered calmly.

Shadow Ring and Major nodded, but in Death Gatling's gaze he saw only grim hostility. Mph, matters for another time.

"No, i don't think he's an accomplice or something like that." He continued. He didn't think he could quell the A-Class' resentment, but he could at least assuage his doubts. "In fact, it's probably the opposite."

The black mass exploded outward, revealing Sonic standing on his feet. Besides wrapping around him like a scarf, the tentacle had extended over his body, covering a part of his chest with roiling black. Two malformed, thin appendages emerged from the central mass of the thing, both grasping at the ninja's right arm. The black substance had made its way along it, going to form a weapon, a blade, a grotesque imitation of a katana, its oily surface a mirror sheen. Even with all that black, Bang could still see Sonic's eyes. They were bloodshot.

"Yeah, just like that." He murmured, while the heroes hissed in surprise and dismay.

The old man wasn't scared, not even horrified. He had seen, during his long decades of fighting up and down the world, enough to make that thing look like a cheap magic trick. And anyway there was no point in letting emotions flare. It was bad for his form. The battlefield was always full of variables and obstacles sprouting up from nowhere. That thing was just another one to blast off and, his mind sharpened like a cold blade, he prepared to do just that.

Still, it didn't mean that he wasn't concerned, truly so. The thing wrapped around Sonic's neck and lower half of his face. Too close, far too close for comfort. And the vibe it sent him… it felt like a slug leaving a cold trail down his spine. He had seen his share of nasty things, and that was a nasty one indeed, no mistake about it.

The problem now was how to deal with it.

…mh. That would do.

"I'll take him on." He instructed. "Support me and wait for an opportunity to pin him down. Consider like they're too separate opponents and be on your guard with that tentacle." He gave a side-glance to Death Gatling, that just grunted and went to change the types of bullets of his weapons. "Understand?"

"Yessir!"

The tentacle split at the top, opening into a maw that let out a wailing cry. Bang saw a black mass blub inside. At his side, Major made a disgusted sound.

That was all the signal start they got.

Sonic dashed toward them, his roar mixing with the monster's screeching. The black sword flashed, repulsing all and each of the bullets Death Gatling shot his way.

Obeying orders, Major and Shadow Ring jumped away from Bang, each taking to a side. The old man spared a small thought of appreciation to the speed with which they had moved into coordination. He didn't like to be treated like some kind of great master, but it was always so nice to see young men and women act in such a brave and proper way. It was one of the perks of being a teacher, being able to gain satisfaction from those things. He was really glad to have grown that mentality.

Sonic was upon him.

With a scream, the ninja brought his weapon into a savage swipe, aiming for Bang's neck. The tentacle attacked at the same time, spear-like point aimed to take his chest.

Bang brought his hands around, letting his aura flare and flow. The streams of energy condensed around him, forming into a dome of whirling energy. It clashed against sword and point, nd sent them both reeling back with a clang of metal.

"You're a strange thing." Bang murmured. He stepped forward as Sonic stumbled back. "But you lack the strenght."

He brought his knuckles forward, but before he could find Sonic's chest, the ninja swiped at his hand with his left arm. Bang countered by stopping his attack and instantly changing it to hit the same arm coming to repel it. He grasped Sonic's wrist, eliciting a holler of anger from both young man and black monster, but before he could capitalize one of the tentacle's thin limbs tried to rake at his face.

Undaunted, ge watched it come.

A wave of bloodlust, anger and hatred hit him, suffucating like a cloud of blood, but it slided across his mind like mist upon glass. Blows and aggression, his martial art was built to deflect them all and he couldn't fall short of it, now could he?

A blade hit the limb a moment before he countered, severing it. As the monster screeched in pain, Bang had a quick vision of Shadow Ring flashing at his side.

The tentacle shuddered wildly and went to retaliate in a frenzy, but a pink fist hit it square in the side, knocking it aside.

Bang spared no glance for his comrades, completely focused on his opponent.

Struggling to free his wrist, Sonic thrusted at him with his blade. Bang stepped aside just enough to dodge the clumsy attack. His hand shot forward and grabbed Sonic's other wrist. Giving a brief sorry to both his old friend and the young man, he went to squeeze.

Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist was founded upon using the least amount of strenght to repel attacks. It was a defensive style at its basics, and this one quality above all Bang took pride in. One of the reasons he had got so caught up with Garou's nonsense was just how his former disciple had twisted his teachings in such a brute and uncouth ways.

Now, well. Now he went with strength.

Sonic's body could withstand it for a couple of seconds at best. Bang felt both wrists snap like they were his own. The young man's scream drove a small knife in his chest, but he steeled himself against it.

Letting go of him, he kneeled down and turned around, bringing his heel against the side of Sonic's knee. He grunted as he felt bone break, just as painfully as before, and drew back.

"It's over." He murmured, watching the poor boy crumple, face twisted in pain.

Sonic's bloodshot eyes snapped to look at him.

Eyes snapping wide, Bang moved out of instinct.

Sonic exploded.

The world disappeared into a flare of light. Heat and wind washed over him, Bang gritting his teeth against the pain for a moment before making his streams flare. The air around him was immediately cleared up, and he found himself into a smoking crater.

"Major! Shadow Ring!" He called. Were they ok?

A coughing attracted his attention. Turning, he saw Major on her knee and hands, her pink outfit covered with dust and smoke.

"Yeah! I am… i am okay!" She stumbled back at her feet, giving him a somewhat woobly thumbs up. "What the hell was that?"

"Some kind of energy discharge…" Bang searched for Sonic and Shadow Ring. The first, he found lying face-first right at the center of the small crater. Beaten but still laive, from the looks of it. That was good. The other one…

He widened his eyes at seeing a smoking, mangled form half-buried in rubble.

He was at its side in a flash, quickly grasping at it. His rising concern turned into surprise at seeing that it was no body: it was a log, splintered and broken, with a rough face making a raspberry painted on it.

"Sir Fang!" Fang almost jumped as Shadow Ring seemed to just blink into existence at his side. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, i am… sure." He shook off the surprise. He wasn't going to ask, but this young hero had to stop doing these things.

Well, what it mattered was that they were all alright, more or less. He didn't expect Sonic to be able to get up after that. All in all, a success.

Bang heard gravel shift. He whirled around, smashing a stone out of the air.

"Are you kidding me?" Bang heard Major shriek, and he found himself in perfect agreement.

Sonic was getting back on his feet. Struggling, wobbling, letting out moans and grunts and sounds of creaking bones, he was slowly getting back. The young man gave a groan, swayed a last time and stood back on his feet, wheezing heavily.

For a moment, Bang couldn't understand. He was sure to have broken both his wrists and knees. But then he understood and the realization made him grit his teeth.

The black thing had spread even more. Long, thin black tendrils emerged from the central mass, sneaking their way across Sonic's body to wrap themselves around wrists and knees. The thing itsels looked worse for wear, scattering fragments of itself all around, but it reformed just as Bang watched. Sonic really looked like an puppet with a grotesque insect nestled against him right now. And the eyes, the eyes were just as bloodshot as before, and Bang saw nothing but mad anger and pain in them.

"It's forcing him on?" There was disbelief into Shadow Ring's voice. Bang couldn't fault them for it.

He exchanged a side-glance with Death Gatling, receiving an unimpressed look. The A-Class didn't seem swayed from his intention to just to kill the young man and be done with it. Well, he wasn't from his. Still, it seemed that aiming for Sonic first had been a mistake. He had thought that the thing relied upon the ninja's body, but that didn't seem to be the case…

Sonic stomped toward them, making the A-Class heroes start into battle stances.

Bang just frowned deeper at seeing the ninja's conditions. He could feel his bones creak and blood spurted from his wounds with every movement he did.

"He cannot go on for much like that." He concluded.

The A-Class watched him, before nodding with various grades of emotions. Shadow Ring and Death Gatling seemed unimpressed. Major wasn't.

"What do we do?" She asked, sounding dismayed.

It was simple in its brutality. Move quickly, take down that thing stuck on Sonic and free the ninja, avoiding for him to take excessive damage, one way or the other. Speed and precision would be needed if they were to save the young man. Bang couldn't see another way. He had to be the one to try.

When the black thing had spread before, Sonic had moved quicker. He supposed that now he would be quicker still. He thought back to his old friend, and to the promise he had given her. Yes, it was his responsability to resolve this situation. In a way, it was fitting. Old dogs should always be ready to help unfortunate young ones.

"We'll take him down quickly." He said calmly. Despite their brave fronts, he could perceive clearly that his three assistants were somewhat moved by all that situation. He couldn't blame them. He had to show himself firm for their benefit. "I'll take him on again. Once you have the chance, try to destroy that black monster."

His calm countenance seemed to bolster their spirits. Nodding, they prepared to act, shifting into a formation.

Bang felt a mixed kind of guilt. He would have appreciated being the one to put the matter to rest, alone, but the truth was that they had barely stepped in that hornet nest and he needed to preserve his strenght as much as he could. On the other hand, he would have loved to have more trust in those three also…

No point on dwelling over regrets now, you old man. Now he had to…

Bang paused.

Someone… something was watching him. Something dangerous.

Slowly, he turned.

The monster stood perched upon a corner of a building, watching them with what could be described only as happy viciousness. Resembling vaguely something quadrupedal, something that a child could have built by putting together blocks of various size, it had a triangular head that split into a many-toothed grin as Bang watched it. Three long, thin tails emerged from the back of the creature, waving around with anticipation.

The aura of that monster felt almost palpable. That thing… it was strong.

"Holy shit." Breathed Major, making Bang notice that the other three heroes had noticed it as well. No attempt to dissimulate the nervousness this time.

Silver Fang believed that old people should set an example for the youth. That was the only reason why he didn't curse. Loudly. So much for his taking the Sonic matter in his hands. Now the situation had just gotten a lot much worse.

* * *

Saitama blinked. Slowly, he looked around. Just now, he thought to have felt a strange sensation of deja vu.

"Now now, don't be rude."

Out of instinct, he turned, throwing out a hand. He caught a rock thrown his way, smashing it to splinters.

The strange lady in black and the strange hat was at some distance, watching him with a small smile.

Saitama blinked, remembering. Oh, right. He was taking her challenge right now.

"Rude?" He asked, tilting his head.

"What would you call one whose mind is elsewhere during a challenge?" She offered, but without malice. It was a simple explanation.

Saitama wiped the sweat from his forehead, regretting that the fight had destroyed all the buildings around. There was only an expanse of rubble around them, and the sun was unforgiving. He really hoped to not get a sunburn.

"Don't say that." He said, feeling guilty but not willing to give up the point. "You're the one hiding behind those toys. I am getting bored here, you know."

"Is that so? My apologies then." Her tail moved to caress one of the dog-things standing at her side. It was the first of the trio that circled her. Watching them, Saitama was remainded of the costruction games he used to play as a child. That wasn't to say that they didn't looked cool, but just… well, one punch each.

"I am quite proud of my toys." She mused as the dog-thing leaned against her caress. "To hear that someone find them boring is quite the nuisance."

"Ehm, sorry, i guess." Saitama wasn't exactly sure what to say. She looked a nice enough lady. He didn't want to make her sad. "I mean, they're cute, i guess. Did you build them using meccano? No, i mean…" He fumbled for some better words. Argh, he wasn't good at this!

To his mixed relief, the lady giggled. "Something like that." She sighed, letting her tail drop. "It's okay. I expected this much." She turned to him, mouth curving slighty. "I'll send that remark back to you, anyway."

"Uh?"

"Your punches." Her tail rose in what could have been an explaining gesture. "You're being pulling them back. Why?" There was sincere curiosity in her question.

Saitama felt taken aback. It was actually the first time one could guess that. Wait no, not the first. That dude from space could do the same. While being mangled. Yuck, depression.

"Habits, i guess?" He replied half-heartedly. "It's just that nobody can resist a little tap." He shrugged. "I started to pull back and now i just do it without thinking." And he secretly hoped he could avoid covering with blood and guts his outfit all the time, but that was unmentionable.

"I see." She gave him a nod of comprehension. "Still, that's not good. We can't have this be spoiled by that attitude, can't we now? Go ahead. Try something serious."

Saitama wasn't convinced. Like, at all. She seemed nice enough, he felt he was repeating himself, and even if he could see that her toys were a bit strong, she didn't feel like she was too much of a big deal. Hadn't she said she was some kind of big shot? He really didn't want to risk to splatter her. Bad for interplanetary relationships and all.

"No offence, but…" He shrugged, divided between doubt and discontent. Before this had felt like a true chance for him to go loose. Pity.

She seemed to read his thoughts. "Oh, you fear for me?" She chuckled, amused. "Even after i threatened to destroy your planet? What a gentleman!"

Oh, right. She did that too. Well, to be honest, he had heard threats like that too many times to count and had just stopped giving them attention. Also, that strange lady was strange alright, but he couldn't picture her doing something like that. She just didn't seem the type, and, honestly, she didn't seem to have the kind of strenght for that piece of work, but that he wouldn't say.

While he thought that, she stepped forward.

"Enough of that now." She said, still smiling. Her dogs, he decided to call them that, stepped aside to make her pass, and she beckoned at him with her tail. "Come at me. Seriously."

"You sure? I mean…"

She snorted softly, tail waving around to brush off his concerns. "Come now, my friend. We're here to have a challenge, not to indulge in doubts." She looked at him, or at least he thought she did, with her visor he couldn't be sure. "Don't you want to try your best on someone from outside this planet?"

Did he? After that one-eyed guy, he wasn't so sure. He almost felt it would have been funnier to talk about how space was. He scratched at his cheek, unsure.

"If i tell you that i am convinced that your best wouldn't hurt me, that would convince you?"

His finger stopped instantly. Alright, now that was interesting.

"Really?" The question came out a little more eager that he wanted, but he didn't care. She could? For real?

She gave him an indulgent smile. "Try."

Saitama thought about it, but then shrugged. Eh, what the hell, why not? She seemed really certain and, who knew, maybe she could take out some space mambo jambo that would surprise him. He didn't believe in it very much, he had to admit, but try couldn't hurt, right? He could always pull back before she got hurt anyway, like that time with Genos.

"Alright." He left his arms down, waiting.

The lady didn't move.

He didn't move.

"Well?" He asked after a while.

She tilted her head. "Well what?"

"Are… are you not gonna take a stance?"

"Are you?"

"Well… no, i don't. Usually." Crap, that felt lame.

She gave a small shrug. "Then i don't need it too. Now stop being human and come at me."

Saitama was unsure of what to make of that last one. He decided to not think about it. In fact, he had done thinking at all. A part of him burned from the eagerness to try now that she had given him again reason to hope.

He tensed his knees, ready to spring. Wow, it almost felt like that time with Genos. And talking about him, he really hoped the cyborg remembered to take out the trash.

That was his last thought. From there, he was in battle mode, no space in his mind except for the opponent before him. He visualized her, her form swathed by the large cape, the visor covering the top half of her face, her corteous, calm smile.

Then he moved.

Energy coursed through his muscles as he devoured the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Wind rushed into his ears- He threw back his fist, feeling the might ready to be unleashed. He couldn't see her eyes, so his attention fixed on her only visible part, her mouth, her smile. With his senses focused, Saitama perceived a ton of details of that single feature. Her teeth were white, almost sparkling so, orderly and perfectly well-spaced. He visualized where his punch would go, put his strenght into it and the smile twisted and snapped, he flew into pieces and each piece was flying into the sky, a meteor, and there was no weight no resistance, he was alone and free while the stars came down to greet him and the moon blinked like an eye and he…

Saitama blinked. Slowly, he looked around. Just now, he thought to have felt a strange sensation of deja vu.

"Now now, don't be rude."

Out of instinct, he turned, throwing out a hand. He caught a rock thrown his way, smashing it to splinters.

The strange lady in black and the strange hat was at some distance, watching him with a small smile.


	7. Chapter 7

Genos liked to think of himself as a man of reason. He did his calculations, he took his notes, he did his math and studied studied studied. To become better. To be able to say that he was walking the right path. He never considered himself complete, a weapon arrived to the end of its production line. It would have been presumptous to think that. No, what he needed was costant tuning, working, pushing himself to his limits, so that errors could be written out and perfomance improved. And for that he worked, costantly, searching for new solutions, configurations, paths.

But in that moment, he he too had to admit to find himself in trouble.

Far from the battlefield, in a cozy and safe apartment, he actually felt in trouble. An analytical approach to life wasn't needed to realize how illogical that was, he was sure.

Seated at the table at the center of the room, he scanned his sorroundings. His spotless, perfectly orderly sorroundings. The mangas, usually strewn all over together with the videogames, had been neatly arrayed by a side in disciplinated piles. His futon had been taken out, washed, wrought out and put back to its place. The tv, the consoles and the few pieces of furniture sparkled clean. The vanilla scent of the detergent he had used to wash the floor mixed pleasangly with the cool air coming from the window, that he had opened just enough for optimized ventilation.

All done. All depressingly done.

He tried to think of something else to do. The fridge had been restocked already, the dishes were done, all the clothes taken out, ironed and put back neatly to their place. He scrubbed clean every centimeter of the small apartment, dusting, cleaning, even moving the wardrobes to reach immaginary specks of dirt.

For a brief moment, he considered to try and search for some kind of structural damage, but repelled the thought. He would need Master's permission for any kind of intervention of that depth.

His gaze wandered along the room and, without his consent, stopped on the still form laid on the other futon. Rows of medicines were disciplinately arrayed to his side, like soldiers waiting for the trumpet call. Even under the weak elettrical light, his bald head flickered slightly.

Genos averted his eyes mechanically, unwilling to face what he had been working non-stop from hours just to avoid.

He was… waiting, what, he didn't know himself.

"He has suffered some kind of ESP attack, from a kind that i have never seen." He remembered Fubuki's frustrated expression after the woman had done her examinations, perceived her attempts to make a profane of the psychich understand. "Imagine that a spirit is like a gem, reflecting light in shifting patterns. Now, parts of the gem have been plucked out, leaving the reflexes distorted. It's not a natural state, so his mind shut down by itself to avoid experiencing it. I can see that it's slowly healing, but i cannot say how much time it will need." She had shaken her head, dismayed, discontented, scared. "This level of precision in spirit manipulation is unheard of…" She had looked rueful, but he couldn't find himself to not despise her. She should have used more technical terms; he would understand nonetheless.

What he couldn't understand was himself.

He thought he should feel some kind of hostility at that sudden happening. Anger, hatred, dismay, something like that. Instead, he felt only deep frustration, like high voltage tension in his gears, and that nameless sense of suspension, of waiting. It felt like being weightless, like he was walking on the moon and the world took something of unreal to it, while his being whirled with energy. It felt like being a piece of burning coal in a dream. His head felt empty, thoughts flowing away like pebbles in a stream, escaping before he could pin them down. He couldn't understand it and felt an unvincible unwillingness to dwell upon it.

Banishing those thoughts, Genos got up and went to the window. Frustration made him restless, a feeling that his cool, mechanical self wasn't used to and didn't know how to deal with. He looked outside, enjoying the cool breeze despite the mellow weather stinging at his senses. A cloudy sky, covered with the color of lead would have been more appropriate to the moment, not that spotless blue sheet.

He shook his head. Illogical thoughts, not usual of him. And still, he couldn't bring himself to think about it, to correct himself.

He needed distraction, only that remained. He started a thorough check up of his body. In that complex endeavour his heart of gears found some respite from the trouble that afflicted it.

* * *

"Major Punch!"

Sonic dodged to a side, just enough for the fist meant for his jaw to carve out a piece of his grotesque scarf instead.

Major grimaced for the wasted hit. And for how that stupid black thing felt. Just like rotten pie. Yuck!

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something black dart towards her. She didn't need to ask to know what it was, but still she couldn't dodge. That blasted thing always attacked from her blind spots.

She was raising her arms to defend herself, when a flurry of gunshots pierced the air, followed by a satisfyingly loud screech and no attack.

"Nice! Thanks you!" She shouted, smiling with gratitude, not needing to turn to know that it was Death Gatling and his ridiculously precise cover fire she had to thank for. Goddamn, the man was like a walking cemetery but he sure knew how to protect a lady. She could almost fall in love.

Shouting, she redoubled her attack, investing Sonic with a flurry of punches.

"Major Combo!"

Snarling like a beast, the ninja parried with the flat of his lde and with his armor-covered arm. Some punches managed to breach his guard, filling his chest with indents, but it could have been pebbles thrown to a stone wall for all the effect they had.

With a grunt of effort, Major finished his chain attack with a last, heavy punch. With savagery, Sonic punched in turn, sending fist to smash against fist with a concussive blast that cracked the asphalt all around.

Major flinched as pain shot through his arm, but didn't relent. Focusing, she concentrated her energy and sent it shooting forward like a cannonball.

"Major Buster!"

From the point where their fists connected cracks shot all across the black carapace covering the ninja's arm. He screamed, more in anger than pain, and was blown back, leaving a trail of black fragments in his wake.

As he flew backwards, Shadow Ring appeared above him, weapon raised to strike. The tentacle darted, blocking with a clang of metal the attack meant to take Sonic out, but before it could retaliate the ninja was already moving, slashing at it and darting out of the way.

Sonic smashed into a wall, disappearing into a cloud of dust and flying debris.

"A-ah!" Major shot a flashy pose. "Once again, Evil is beaten back!"

Shadow Ring appeared at her side, making her eep and jump.

"What are you doing?" The ninja asked, sounding perplexed.

Asking herself how in the hell he, or she, kept doing that and, even more, why, maybe they liked to scare the freak out of everyone, Major needed to a moment to get what the ninja meant.

She blushed a little as realization hit home.

"Ehm, ye, sorry." She stuttered. "Habit. I always say things like that at work."

"I see…" Shadow Ring gave her something resembling a reproaching stare. "Please, be serious. This is a true battle." They said, taking a stance beside Major.

Wasted effort. The pinkette had zoned them out the moment they started to talk. Even because she had felt like something was trying to drill a hole in her head and making her stomach fall at the same time. Barely turning, she crossed Death Gatling's gaze. Just the time to realize the full weight of the disdain hidden in those two dark orbs. Then the A-Class turned his weapon to where their enemy disappeared, leaving her to grimace with dark amusement.

"Ye, we get it. You don't like those like me." She murmured with a smirk.

She knew about her fellow A-Class "problematic disposition", she doubted there was somebody in the whole Association that didn't, and in a way she could even understand it. The flashy moves and slogans weren't something she had taken to on her own initiative and sometimes they could get obnoxious, she was the first to reconize it. On the other side, though, she was grateful to them; they helped her greatly to increase her popularity. People liked flashy styles, and she liked being liked. She was a bit of a glory hog, guilty as charged. If he had a problem with it, well tough luck for him.

Shadow Ring emitted an interrogative sound, to which she gave them a thumbs up and a large grin.

"Almost got it there. Good job!" She said cheerfully. "Put it there." She gave them a hand for a high-five.

Shadow Ring watched her quizzically, then her hand, then her face again.

With an amused chuckle, Major drew back her hand.

Really, she was still amazed at how well they were working together, considering that it was their actual first attempt to it and how completely different they seemed to be. Death Gatling, curmudgeon all the time, barely spoke with them. Shadow Ring, well, Major was starting to think they had been spouted out from a medieval novel or something, or maybe they were a time traveller from the past. That would be exciting.

She chuckled at the thought, waving a hand at Shadow Ring's narrowing eyes. The ninja seemed to be a stickler for the rules of courtesy. She didn't discount the chance to offend them without actually meaning to.

She doubted that a more different team had ever been assembled by the Association, including the band sent to the Monster Association. And still, they worked wonders together.

Her, she was used to be under the frontline's barrage, the one under the monster's attention and tender care, to take and dish out the pain. Her physical toughness and strenght gave her what it was needed for the role. And while she did just that, the other two A-Class supported her magnificently, Death Gatling using his ridiculously powerful weapon with the finesse of a sniper, Shadow Ring seeming to be everywhere at once with their strange ninja voodoo. None of them were front-liners, but both had offensive power and precision to spare. When an attack breached her guard, one could be sure that the sword of Shadow Ring or a well-placed burst of over-sized bullets would be there to punch it back before it could make damage. When she launched her attack, one of the two always there to support and bring home.

Together, they made a great combination.

She had to hand it to the old man: he knew how to pick up his teams. Doubly so. When she heard that the Legend, with a "The" and a Capital L, Silver Fang wanted to pick her up for a job, she had almost exploded by sheer excitement. It was the top dog of the martial world they were talking about, the Silver Fang, anybody and their moms would have given a leg to be his disciple, let alone work with him.

Her excitement had almost equalled the disappointment at actually seeing the man himself. He. Was. Old! And not the old but well-put type. No no. He was straight to the old-decrepite type, with hands behind his back, bent back and all.

Alright, it had been a little ruthless from her. Respect for the elderly and all. But damn.

Well, turn out that the old adage had it right. Never judge a book from the cover. She had her doubts, but she also knew when to recognize a mistaken judgement. Hell, she'd be dumb to not to…

Major flinched as a shockwave buffeted the street.

"Geez." She said, giving a mixed between awed and incredulous side-glance at the top of a building some hundred of meters from them.

It was there that Bang and the… thing disappeared to and right now, well, she wasn't exactly sure how to describe it. It looked like the top of building was crowned with something that resembled a hurricane. Currents of winds, so dense to resemble streams of water, crisscrossed the space around it, forming into an architecture of savage beauty. It was the heart of a storm unveiled by clouds and rain and fog, breathtaking in its intensity of power.

"They aren't pulling back any punch up there, aren't they?" She said with a grin. Another shockwave buffeted her and she shivered with excited terror.

Shadow Ring didn't turn their eyes towards it. "Sir Fang shall win." They said, and there was no uncertainty in their strange, unisex voice.

As creepy as it was, Major found herself agreeing.

"Let's do what he charged us with, then."

That was the least they could do, wasn't it?

"Shadow. You want to be the one to land the finishing blow?" The ninja nodded once, resolutively. "Good. Then, me and Gatling will engage him." Turning to the other A-Class, she deceived a grim nod.

That was all the planning they could do. Sonic exploded out the building wall, debris flying all around as he dashed toward them.

"Let's end this!" Major shouted, snapping into a stance.

Shadow Ring made an adfirmative sound, and dashed to a side. Death Gatling did the same by making his weapon sing.

Major remained alone to face off with the onrushing enemy.

She wasn't scared. She had taken the measure of him and of that blasted thing he had on him. Both were quick and strong, but lacked any modicum of finesse. They attacked wildly, like animals, and she was used to that kind of style. Her major concern was that the guy seemed on his last legs, he almost left a trail of blood behind him as he moved. It would have been a sad irony to have him croak after all that effort.

Well, they just had to avoid that, didn't they?

Major dashed forward, meeting Sonic head-on.

Her eyes rushed to find the points from where attacks could come. A sword, an arm, a tentacle. From where the attack would come? She could take care of one, two at best, not more than that. The other, she'd have to trust her comrades. She could do that.

The tentacle? She'd love to knock that thing some more about, she was still pissy about the cheap shot of earlier, but she lacked the range and the stupid thing was nimble as a hell. It'd dance around her fists as likely as it get knocked down and she couldn't really take the chance. So, the sword it is. She lacked the range to deal with that before an attack came, but where the problem be if it was different?

Time rushed by fast. Her decision-making took only a split second. No more was allowed on the battlefield. And they had lost enough time already. That had to be the resolutive action.

And not only because that guy had to be put down quickly, for his own good. Major was concerned for his kohai, that were supposed to be patrolling just that city, just that day. But she wouldn't confess her fears, not even to herself, she couldn't, she simply couldn't. They were fine, period.

And still, seeing that guy, wrapped in that monstrosity, after witnessing all the phenomena that seemed to have come from hell to possess that city… even an warrior inured to pain like her couldn't repel the doubt, the concern, not completely. A normal person would be slowed down by it, weighted down by it. She, like all the heroes like her, was only pushed forward by it.

Major's shout clashed with the monster's screech, just a moment before their owners reached each other.

Sonic thrusted forward with his sword. Major twisted by a side, feeling the wind of the blow whip at her back. She pulled back her arm and punched. Her closed fist impacted against the flat of the ninja's blade with a resounding clang. To testament of Sonic's inhuman strenght, he wasn't sent spiralling away. Instead, he just stumbled, his sword arm being blown away and wide from the impact.

Major felt more than actually see the tentacle spear through the air for her head. A burst of gunfire echoed in her ears, followed by flurry of clangs and a choked screech. She grinned. It was like having an immaginary friend at your back. She loved the sensation.

Even while he frantically seek for balance, Sonic's hand shot for Major. It was too fast to dodge and too strong to repel. The pinkette managed only to interpose her own arm before those fingers could reach her throat. They sank into her forearm instead, ripping through fabric and flesh. Major clenched her teeth but didn't back down. She grabbed his arm, holding him fast.

"Go! Finish him!"

Shadow Ring was above the screeching figure of Sonic before her words could leave her mouth completely. The ninja arm was raised, ready to deliver a crippling blow.

Major'd have loved to bite her own tongue off. Might as well give the guy a warning signal about what they were going to do. She could only hope that Shadow Ring would be quicker than…

Sonic's body glowed yellow. Major just had the time to curse.

The explosion hit her like a giant fist. It ripped off all the air from her lungs, leaving her to savagely flutter amidst the cyclone of heat like a ragged flag.

She held on to the arm she had taken hold off, doggedly, and when the shockwave passed, planted down her feet into the devastated asphalt.

"Note to self." She mumbled almost drunkenly. Her head felt like it was full of cotton and all her body felt as hot as someone had dumped her into a furnace. It hurt just as much, but pain was a muffled echo in the distance, along with everything else. "Don't… scream what you're going to do…" Struggling to focus, she swayed drunkenly.

A form darted toward her. Out of instinct, she raised her arms to block. She hadn't noticed to have let go.

The blow smashed her forearms against her face. It blew her away, sending her flying. Positive note: it also broke her confusion, just like a glass bell under a hammerstrike. Negative note: all the pain slammed into her like a boulder, making her yell.

Flipping over, she planted a knee and a fist into the street. She dug a furrow into the asphalt before managing to come to a stop.

"Stupid!" She spat. "Stupid! Idiot!"

She somehow caught, or only imagined, a surprised expression traverse Shadow Ring's eyes, but ignored it. Snarling against the pain, she lifted her eyes just in time to see Sonic bearing down on her, sword raised to strike.

She had just started to raise her arms to defend herself that a flurry of bullets riddled the body of the ninja. It hit him with the viciousness of a pack of dogs, pushing him back and almost making him spin around.

Sonic wavered, trembling all over, but didn't fall. Eyes bloodshot, he reached for her. Shadow Ring appeared beyond him in a flash, slashing at his exposed back. Sonic leaned forward with a snarl, but still didn't fall. His tentacle lashed out, smashing the ninja away.

Major saw them disappear from her field of vision while almost rolling on themselves. The awareness of her fault hit her like a bad taste. She was worried, alright? That's why she did that rookie mistake. She was worried sick for her kohai, her friends! She was worried and she did a mistake. Stupid! Stupid! You don't do mistake! Not as a hero! You fight and win! But she was worried! She was worried out of her bones and that mofo just didn't want to fucking get out of the way!

Asphalt gave way under her boot as she stomped forward, putting all her weight and power in a her fist.

Her punch caught Sonic straight into the chest, filling the black carapace with cracks, sending fragments spinning into the air. The ninja stepped back, snarled and, to her eternal frustration, came back straight at her. Hist fist caught her into the jaw, sending her spinning away.

Shouting in a mix of rage and pain, Major saw the world spin wildly before her eyes before something abruptly caught her. She found herself staring into Shadow Ring's eyes. The worry she saw there only made her angrier.

She untangled herself from Shadow Ring's arms, with more rudeness that she'd liked to, and swayed to her feet.

"One moment." She growled, watching where Sonic was, the costant barrage from Death Gatling keeping him at bay. She turned to look at Shadow Ring, and knew that her own eyes were bloodshot in that moment. "Hold him still for a moment and i will strike him down."

"Wait, we…"

She was already dashing forward while they talked, their words lost on her.

As she devoured the distance from Sonic, her thoughts whirled from martial techniques to anger barely contained, form worry unchained to old memories.

To be sincere, she could understand Death Gatling, his resentment toward the S-Class' hogging all the merit for themselves. She herself had always aimed for the top of the Heroes' world and disliked being overshadowed. She wasn't going to sugarcoat it: she was ambitious, always been. And what about it? There was something bad with aiming to be the top? If there was, she couldn't see it and didn't give a damn about. She wanted to rise, that was all. And it wasn't like someone had to give it to her. She'd earned her position, with sweat and blood, and with sweat and blood would earn even more.

Still, it wasn't all.

She has always been strong. When she was four, she could benchpress a full wardrobe with her father atop of it. When she was seven, her first master, a forty-something vigorous man, could barely keep up with her. Growing up, the trend just kept on, traversing into the superhuman.

Major increased her pace, pumping with her arms to pick up even more speed. Her body protested loudly, but she ignored it.

Growing strong had meant responsabilities. Her parents were famous pro-heroes and so, given her abilities, her destiny had been written from the beginning. She didn't complain for it. Her dream was being a hero and she embraced her path with passion and zeal, training day in and day out without aspiring to anything else.

And still, something missed.

She had grown isolated in her family mansion, knowing only her parents and teachers, taking her strenght for granted. So, when she had taken to the open world, she had found herself at unease. The normal humans, unable to lift a camion with a hand or take a firearm bullet into the chest without flinching had seemed strange to her, weak, fragile beings.

Add to that her isolated upbringing, made only of training and duty, and she had found herself sorrounded with what she felt to be exotic beings, with strange habits and around which she had to be mindful all the time, lest she hurt them.

Like an elephant in a glassware, and just as much out of her element.

There wasn't much needed for her to remain alone, to have walls between herself and the world thick enough that super-strenght wasn't enough to pierce them.

To reach the S-Class was her dream, but not only as a carrer prospect. Amidst those strong heroes, she hoped to find what she didn't seem to be able to anywhere else. Friends, maybe. Now she saw how naive that thinking was, but back there it hadn't felt like that.

And so, her disappointment had been big when she actually got to know those guys. Never directly, no. Through snippets, chats, demonstrations and an other hundred little chances. Boy if it hadn't been depressing. She doubted that a more divided, less sociable bunch of freaks could be found on the whole face of the earth. She could fit in amongst them without a doubt, but only as another unsociable excuse!

Death Gatling barely dodged a slash, a large section of his cape flying away in tatters. He blocked the tentacle with his bulky weapon and was almost blown out of his feet.

Major accelerated again, rising anger giving her strenght. Dust and debris were blown away at her passage, giving rise to two parallel sprays in her wake.

Death Gatling noticed her the same moment Sonic did. The A-Class hero jumped back, launching her a glance. The ninja stomped down and held his ground with a snarl.

Major ignored the first, focusing on the second. Her body started to glow slightly as she focused her energy.

Alone. Yes, that she had been. During her training, she had nurtured the hope that once outside she'd find something. What that something was, she didn't know. It was just the dream of a little girl. When she had seen her chance for belonging slip through her fingers, she had finally understood, and it had hit her. Bad. Her drive was wounded, an intollerabile damage for those at her level, that had always to be in top shape. She started to make mistakes. She lost rank. The frictions with her family came right after. The world was crumbling around her, and there seemed to be nothing she could do to fix it.

It was then that she met her kohai.

With a shout, she jumped, putting all her momentum in a frontal kick. Without even bothering to dodge, Sonic used his sword to block it. The ninja was blown back, but didn't fall. His feet dug two furrows into the ground as Major kept pushing him, debris flying everywhere.

Her kohai. She still remembered the day she met those misfits. Bright-eyed youths someone would call them, bunch of morons she called them. All ideals and no idea of what the pro-hero world actually was. Foolhardiness by the buckets and barely any experience of actual combat. A lot of enthusiastic smiles and not even a scar.

And still, they had blown down the walls she was sorrounded from, ushered her in the world she couldn't enter. It was incredible how simple and at the same time miracolous that meeting had been. All the problems that had been choking her down seemed to just melt away, seemed to become so ridicolous and stupid that she balked at the thought of having actually being stalled by them.

Sometimes she wondered if she'd be alive at all without those idiots. Surely she wouldn't enjoy the good relationships she had with her family today, she wouldn't enjoy her newly-florishing carrer. Those five morons had returned life to her, given her hope back, saved her from the brink.

With a shout, Major started to pound Sonic with a flurry of kicks, that the ninja parried with both arms and tentacle. The momentum kept them in motion, debris and chunks of asphalt flying away in their wake, dust and air being blown away each time a blow connected in a explosion of kinetic force.

Major kept shouting and kept attacking. Her saviors. Her friends. And, was that the last thing she ever did, she wasn't, absolutely, by any means, whatever the hell happened, she wasn't going to lose them!

A massive kick blasted Sonic's guard apart, sending both his arms and tentacle wide.

Major used the momentum to samersault into the air and crashed amidst the broken asphalt. The glow of her energy was fierce now, engulfing her body with pink flame.

"Major… Stance!" She exclaimed, pulling back her brilliantly shining fist.

Sonic stumbled back and stopped, throwing her a stare full of wrathful hate, mirrored by the screech of the tentacle.

Major wasn't fazed by it, but knew to have only moments. "C'mon, guys." She said between teeth gritted for the concentration. "Only a moment."

Sonic jumped toward her, letting out an animalistic scream. Major watched him come, without moving, all her focus on setting her energy.

"One moment." She hissed as sword and tentacle darted for her neck.

A shadow appeared before her in a clang of metal. Shadow Ring, that lacked the strenght to take attack head-on from the berserk opponent, blocked the slash with their own sword. They held for half a second before both weapon and strenght failed them. They were overrun by a savage backhand from the tentacle, their sword flying into glittering pieces together with drops of blood.

Sonic barely slowed down as he went beyond the ninja's falling form, bloodshot eyes set on Major.

A flurry of gunshots echoed into the dust-choked air. The tentacle writhed madly, oily form riddled with craters, a moment before a ragged figure dashed against Sonic's side.

The ninja turned to glare hatefully at Death Gatling, barely aknowledging the barrel of the weapon that had clubbed his side. He tried to grasp him with a taloned hand, but the A-Class threw his weapon in the trajectory and the ninja's fingers ripped through metal with a teeth-shaking whine.

Sonic snarled, ripping away his hand and making to grasp at the Hero's throat. But it was too late.

"Get the hell down, you fucking mofo!" Major yelled. Her fist blazed with wrathful light. "Major Super Buster!" She screamed.

Her punch caught Sonic straight in the jaw. It hit like a comet, smashing against the ninja's face with a crash of thunder. A shockwave exploded from the point of impact, blowing Death Gatling and Shadow Ring away, along with what remained of the destroyed street. The black matter sorrounding Sonic's face disintegrated away, revealing his reddened face.

He didn't fall. He held, screaming wildly even as Major's fist dug against his face.

Major screamed in turn, putting even more power in the blow. And that was enough.

Sonic's resistance reached its end in a sudden moment, and the ninja abruptly turned around, bodily lifted into the air as the momentum from the blow was discharged all at once. Still screaming, he corkscrewed twice before slamming face-first into the ground. Debris flew into the air in a flurry of crashes. Wind exploded outwards.

When it ended, Major was amidst the ruins, dust gently raining all around her. Smoke came out from her still extended fist.

Panting, she watched the now-still form of Sonic. The ninja laid amidst the cracked stones. He didn't move, his roar was silenced. The horrible black tentacle laid still as well, now looking just like a ragged, broken scarf.

Major felt relief wash over her, alongside a wave of exhaustion.

"Oh god, we did it." She breathed, relieved beyond belief. She leaned on her knees, trying to regain his breath and to rein her thoughts in. She couldn't believe that that monster was actually down. She was so happy! They…

The others! Major almost jumped, with all his body protesting loudly for it, and frantically looked around for the other two A-Class.

To her immense relief, she found them almost immediately. They were unharmed, well, more or less. Death Gatling was on a knee, somehow managing to appear sullen and brooding even while recovering from a stun. Shadow Ring was nursing to a wounded side with… something from a ancient-looking pot. Even amidst her dizzy exhaustion, Major was surprised by how quick the ninja had passed to the healing already. Ah, who cared! They won! They did it!

"Guys!" She exclaimed, jogging to them. She was overjoyed. "We did it!"

Death Gatling raised his head toward her. He watched her for a silent moment, a question in his eyes, then turned to where Sonic laid. He watched the downed ninja for a moment before turning back to her and nodding, the briefest of smiles passing across his features.

The satisfaction hit Major like a hammer made of sunny smiles, and was just as unexpected. Who knew that making that grumpy face smile a tiny tiny bit would feel so good?

Happy, she turned to Shadow Ring. Just to find herself facing the most stern half-masked ninja face she had ever seen.

"Don't do that. Ever again." They said.

Major blinked.

"It was reckless. Foolhardy. I will strongly suggest you to avoid such maneuvers in the future." Shadow Ring repeated with stern emphasis.

Major felt irritation flare. Hey, she had risked her skin as much as that talking trash bag, even more so. And they had won, hadn't they?

She opened her mouth to protest, but the ninja prevented her by raising a hand.

"Remain in control." They uttered calmly, bagging the pot from where it had come. "Always. For a hero, it's unbecoming the opposite."

It was like someone just punched her in the gut. That phrase was awfully similar to what her father was always used to say.

Major wanted to reply, but bitterness rose to clog her throat.

"Spoil sport…" Was all she managed to mutter, averting his gaze from them. It felt like an awfully lame thing to say, but she couldn't muster more. Goddammit, of course they were right, but they had to put it down so ruthlessly? She knew Shadow Ring from barely half a day, but felt betrayed nonetheless.

Shadow Ring grunted something, but didn't press the topic. They had said enough.

"We should get to where Sir Fang…"

A loud crash made them all jump. Turning around, they all snapped into fighting stances, ready to take on any other devirly that place decided to throw their way. But they were all relieved to see that it was no monster; it was Bang, returned from his fight.

The old man's shirt was gone, letting see the massive muscles he still bore in his late age and, Major almost jumped, the large, bloody gashes upon them.

"Sir Bang!" Shadow Ring was at his side in a flash, but stopped dead in their tracks when Bang turned at them.

A wave of deep emotion engulfed the area.

Major felt it like being dropped into a gently but unresistable river. It reminded her of her father's shadow on the door of the dojo, at the light of a candle, performing the kata learned a lifetime before. Of the old, weather-beaten oak of her family mansion's garden, standing tall from hundred of years. Of the old turtles that lived in the stream, gently letting the current take them away while the sunset painted the waters in gold. Dignity, Grace, Acceptance, Braveness. It spoke to her of all those, gently, like water singing amidst the rocks.

Silver Fang blinked, and the moment passed. They were back in the destroyed street, covered with dust and riddled with hurt. Trying to regain her breath, Major realized with dismay that they just took a glimpse of the spirit world of Silver Fang, his essence expressed as aura. She had heard tales of such a state, when a martial artist entered in such a communion with his own spirit and body to become like a radiant star of emotions, but it was actually the first time she experienced it.

It was… whoa. And judging by the faces of the other two A-Class, Shadow Ring seemed about to choke to death, she wasn't alone in her impression.

Not like Bang was less impressive without that manifestation.

The old man's fragility was completely gone, replaced by a body that seemed made of steel and an aura just as heavy. His eyes glowed like coals as he watched them one by one. Major almost snapped to attention as they passed over her, flicking briefly to her wounds before turning to the still form of Sonic.

"You did it." Bang said, eyes softening in a grandfatherly way. "Well done, lads."

For some reason, Major felt the need to cry. But that would be unbecoming of a hero, and she had just accrued enough unbecoming for the day, and so she just snapped into a small salute, earning herself a chuckle from the old S-Class.

Death Gatling looked like he had just eaten a rotten apple, Shadow Ring like they were trying to remember how to breathe. It looked like it fell to her to ask.

"Silver Fang, sir…" Major began, a bit unsure. "What about…"

Silver Fang gave her an apolegetic smile, and showed her what he was holding. Major almost jumped out of her bones. Even detached from the body, the head of the black monster conserved part of its terrible viciousness.

That sight seemed to give Death Gatling his voice back.

"Nice…" He said, just to catch himself with a stiffen.

Despite everything, Major gave him an amused side glance. Even him could slip from his "not a merit to the S-scrubs" policy, eh?

"W-well done, sir!" Shadow Ring said. They were still on wobbly legs, but it didn't stop them from coming forward, like being closer to their idol could help to convey their respect better.

Major exchanged a look with Bang. Really, it was almost cute how that shadowy figure could get.

"That's true. Good job!" Said the little black thing that stood between them.

It happened all very quickly.

Major's eyes widened. Bang sprang into action. The black thing was faster.

It swarmed all over them like a blanket of darkness. Major threw her arm before herself, but nothing came to hit her and the darkness passed just as quickly as it had come.

"Yoink!" She heard from behind. A horrible feeling hitting her in the gut, she turned quickly, just in time to see what it looked to be a man-sized cloud of black smoke dart away, the limp body of Sonic atop of it. "I'll be taking this! Thank you very much!" The thing cackled with a shrill voice.

"After it! Don't let it escape!"

Nobody needed the order of Bang to be repeated twice. Exploding back into action with the ease of professionals, the three A-Class and the S-Class darted after the thing.

Uusually, Major wasn't one for complaining, but in that moment she just couldn't stop herself.

"But it's one thing after the other in this hellhole!"


	8. Chapter 8

Heavy, that it was.

While he followed the other heroes down the streets, Bang didn't think of poor, mistreated Sonic, or what exactly was the thing they were chasing. No, his mind, despite his best efforts, didn't relent from returning to his previous fight, to that black monster he had fought on the top of the building.

He was no psychic from any stretch of imagination; he belonged to the realm of blood and flesh. And still, while he battled that monster, he had felt something that no mundane sense should have been able to. He had felt something beyond that ugly monster coming at him with claws and teeth. Something that observed, that willed, that moved. It was like he was fighting a puppet moved by strings held by a finger. And the finger belonged to… he couldn't understand.

A dark thing, watching, with undeciferable intent.

The group turned left at a crossroad, remaining in formation. They soon lost sight of the thing that took Sonic, but its shrill laughter kept going, giving them a clear direction to follow. It echoed on the empty streets relentlessly, grating painfully on ears.

To none of them escaped the fact that they were being led on on purpose, but none of them were ready to let their only trail slip away. And if whoever was behind all of that had the intention of forcing another confrontation, well, they were ready for it. In fact, they secretly relished the possibility. It was better that running around with a thousand questions and no answer.

Only Bang was not so sure about it.

He could still feel that dark presence, not as a hidden gaze now, but in the throbbing of his wounds. Shadow Ring had given him an ointment to rub on them, and he had added his own to it, but it seemed that no amount of painkillers was enough to stop the pain. The rakes in his flesh pulsed in a dull, languid way, like something was tracing a finger along them. Or a tongue.

He made sure to keep his discomfort well hidden.

The bad feelings he had from the start of all that venture felt like shards in his chest now. He would have pulled back, but the scouts sent by Fubuki, what she told him, young Sonic, in all coscience he simply couldn't bring himself to forget them all and turn back, even if just to preserve those young heroes from what he feared they were running towards. He could just run forward, toward whatever waited for him.

Bang frowned, thick eyebrows almost knitting together. He dogged through pain and uncertainty, shutting them away by force of will.

Whatever it happened, he was ready.

The effort brought a memory to the fore of his mind. He remembered a day, when he and his brother had decided to meet in battle and decide once and for all to whom belonged the most powerful martial art. They were young and headstrong back then, but he still had felt uncertainty while he jumped from rock to rock, directed to the mountain peak where the battle was to be. Of course, his brother, thick-headed bull that he was, didn't feel even half of it, and was already there, waiting for him.

The memory brought an unvoluntary smile to his face. Thankfully, nobody noticed. One of the many advantages of having a mustache, he supposed. Smiling at his own foolishness, he focused back on the chase.

The group emerged into a plaza, and stopped abruptly.

The laughter had stopped, but it wasn't that that made them interrupt the chase. There were human figures there, a great number of them. Still, the sight was so strange that they actually needed a few seconds to understand what they were looking at.

The plaza was a great space, going far into the distance. Rows upon rows of merchants stalls filled the greater part of it. A large colonnade circled it all around, holding porches under where stores exposed their wares.

But it wasn't that that held the group's attention. It was who crowded the place.

Humanoid figures, their skin an oily black. They looked like someone had tried to shape humans out of black clay, but worked just enough to make grotesque manikins before setting them free to life. Their faces were blank, their bodies featureless. They had no hands, just three long, thin sticks jutting out from their wrists.

They were everywhere. They walked under the porches, with couples holding hands and small groups forming families. They crowded the stalls, haggling over wares stained with black fluids. Many looked in the act of talking, stick-like limbs waving around, but no word was exchanged. Others sat at benches, curved over blank sheets of black paper. Many posed as tourists, blank faces looking even while they snapped photos with cameras that didn't work. Others even acted as street artists, perfoming for the amusement of the passer-by. And so on and on, an endless mass of puppets emulating what a normal day in the city would have looked like.

But there was no voice, no words. On that grotesque spectacle ruled an absolute silence.

"What…" Major was the first to find back her voice. "What is this?" She asked, dismayed by that sight.

Shadow Ring looked around with caution. "What are they doing?" For the first time, the voice of the unflappable ninja was traversed by something that could have been uncertainty.

Death Gatling said nothing. He just frowned deeply.

Bang didn't need to ask to know that his bad feeling about all that was shared.

"Let's go." He said. "With caution."

The group advanced in the plaza slowly, eyes darting across that unusual sight. They noticed that the manikins' acts repeated themselves. The hagglers kept moving merchandise back and forth, starting their trade from the beginning each time it seemed to be concluded. Squatting close to a column, a child-sized manikin kept throwing a fresbee, that a manikin dog kept bringing back, their gestures always the same. Two manikins close to a stand were locked into a silent quarrel, their thin arms repeating the same threatening gestures. A manikin kept on climbing a ladder leaning against a street lamp, replacing a light bulb with another just to do the same again and again. The same was for all the plaza, the puppets repeating the same gestures with silent determination.

The group stopped close to the beginning of that eerie landscape. Uneasy glances were thrown around. They advanced toward a clump of manikins. The things didn't seem to mind. In fact, they didn't aknowledge them at all, completely focused on their repeated gestures.

Seeing that there seemed to be no immediate harm, Major prowled forward. The manikin she got close to was in the pose of watching the sky, the three sticks it had for hands used to shield eyes that it hadn't from the glare of the sun.

"What… are these things." The A-Class murmured, inspecting the manikin with sick fascination.

The rest of the group exchanged glances, unsure of what to think of all that, but with the same bad feelings in their guts. They were about to speak, when a short scream pierced the air, sounding amplified into the thick silence.

They spunned, weapons raising. Major had screamed, the girl having jumped back from the manikin she was looking at.

"There's…! There's someone in there!" The girl exclaimed, pointing a finger toward the black form.

The group was startled by that new, but before anyone could make a move, Major was already back on her feet and jumping toward the manikin, intent on freeing whoever she had seen inside of it.

Bang felt the release of aggressive intent the moment the A-Class's hand touched the manikin.

He moved out of reflex. He dashed forward, just as the manikin exploded into sudden action, whirling its noodly arm around. It smashed it against the ground, smashing the street open and sending shards of asphalt flying around.

Bang felt them ping against his arm, held protectively over Major's head.

"Are you okay?" He asked, ignoring the sting of the shallow grazes.

The girl watched him for a second, incomprehension clear even in her half-hidden features, before nodding quickly, biting her lower lip.

Death Gatling and Shadow Ring were already into battle stances, but no further attack followed. With the dust still settling, the manikin had returned to his vague staring, like nothing ever happened.

Bang received the uneasy glances of his junior comrades, but couldn't do nothing but frown. That was what Fubuki had talked to him of.

Following Major's hurried instructions, the heroes found what she saw.

The smooth, black material forming the manikin looked a mix between crystal and metal with an oily sheen. It was opaque all around, except for the the head. There, it took a glass-like quality, allowing them to see behind it, the face of a man, like a fly caught into amber.

The discovery rattled them, and Shadow Ring had to stop Major from trying again to pry open the thing by force once again.

What it stopped them from joining her was that, to a second exam, they found out that the man didn't look to be in distress. He kept his eyes closed and his face wore a tranquil expression. He seemed to be sleeping.

The realization was only partly a relief, especially because there was little thinking needed to see that plaza in its true aspect.

"Are these… all people?" Death Gatling asked with a deep frown.

Shadow Ring didn't answer, but moved quickly. The ninja disappeared into a dash and was back to their post a couple of seconds later.

"Yes, it seems so." They said with bitterness.

Those words fell between them like a stone.

"How? And why?" Major asked with disbelief. Her gaze moved between all of her comrades, like they could explain that situation. But they were asking themselves the same questions, and no answer came.

"All these people!" Major continued heatedly. "They are trapped! But… why?"

Seeing that silent landscape now brought a shiver across their spines. Each manikin, blocked into repeating what, now they understood, those people were doing the moment that whatever did that to them had happened. Each of them was a person, a man, a woman, a child, frozen.

A zoo. That was what that place looked like. An exposition of humanity during its everyday moments, all with originals. And it had to continue far beyond that plaza, over all of the city.

The thought chilled them.

Bang moved forward, attracting the general attention. The old man got close to the manikin and observed it with attention.

Suddenly, his hand darted forward and touched the neck of the puppet.

The three A-Class didn't have time to react that the manikin exploded into action once again. The air whooshed around his arm as he swung it around like a mace, the momentum of it strong enough to shatter concrete.

"Sir Fa…!" Shadow Ring had barely raised a hand, that Bang was already at a safe distance.

"Oh dear…" The old man said, stumbling back to his feet. He ruffled his hair, a bit impressed. "They seem to be really aggressive." Noticing that the three A-Class were watching him, in a disconcerted way Shadow Ring and Major, vaguely surprised Death Gatling, he did something that in that moment felt completely unexpected. He smiled.

"I felt this lad's pulse." He said, raising a hand. "I don't know what they've done to him, but that it's regular. He's alive, and well."

Those words needed a moment to register and, when they did, the relief felt like a shower for the three heroes. Even Death Gatling, in a rare moment of expressiviness, had his facial muscles twitch a couple of time.

"What a relief." Major sighed, a hand on her chest. If all those people had come to harm and they were too late to stop it, she wasn't sure what she could have done. The concern for her kohai hammered incessantly inside of her, but having the solid chance that they were at least alive and well was a giant relief.

"Indeed." Shadow Ring agreed, scanning the silent crowd. As much as relieved by the new they were, they were the only one to think that what it was for one, it could not be for all, but they sagely decided to keep their feelings to themselves. The squad really needed the morale boost. The ninja had to admit, with regret, that they needed it too.

"But they are prisoners still." Bang held a warning finger up, gentle severity on his features. He turned, facing the black crowd. "Shall we find the culprit?"

The heroes nodded, features and resolve hardening.

Normal people would have been scared, disgusted, even terrified by the ghastly sight before them, by the terrible implications it brought to human minds. Some of them could have been shaken into inaction, maybe even pushed to flee. Those heroes were still human and so they shared all of those feelings. Were they scared by what they saw? Yes. Were they disgusted? Of course. But they also burned with rightious anger and a deep sense of affront toward whoever had dared to do that to those poor people. Those qualities now gave them heart to push forward.

Suddenly, a phone rang.

The heroes startled. Glances were exchanged. The shrill beeping sounded almost deafening into the silence.

Slowly, Bang took out the device. An unknown number blinked on the screen, just beneath the symbol of complete lack of signal.

Looking at the A-Class' tense faces, Bang pressed the button to answer. The call opened with a fizzling sound. A sound that seemed a throaty grumble was heard, and then the call closed abruptly.

Bang watched the screen shift to show the notice of ended call from unknown. Slowly, then more quickly, the letters shuffled away, replaced by numbers, until a full number was shown.

Bang didn't know much of technology, but even he knew that that should't happen.

He pressed the call button.

Coming from the distance, a beeping sound replied, crystal clear in the silence of the plaza.

The heroes exchanged tense glances, then resolute nods. Forming up, they advanced into the plaza.

They quickly found out that they couldn't simply bypass the crowd. The ringing seemed to come right from the midst of it and even taking an elevated position, Shadow Ring jumping on top of a street lamp, wasn't enough to pick the spot from where it came. The best they managed to understand was that it came from some point where the crowd was thickest. They would have to stay on foot and search the place methodically.

And so they did.

To walk amongst the crowd of puppets wasn't a pleasant experience. The black manikins seemed to be everywhere. There was no way to stop looking at them and their vision didn't carry pleasant thoughts. Also, the heroes had to care not to touch any, lest they risked another sudden assault that who knew what could provoke amidst all that tight crowd.

None of them talked as they carefully made their way through the black crowd, each too focused on the task at hand to do anything else, but all the group was afflicted by a degree of the same bad feelings. That silent place, the obsessively repeated motions, the thought of all that people caged and frozen, it all oppressed them, put them on edge. Many glances were snuck to where the people's faces could be seen. It was only a minute relief to find another sleeping but otherwise unharmed citizen each time, but it was one that they took at heart. They weren't completely too late, at least they had that.

The distant ringing led them on. It felt like an obsessive hammering in the silence. The heroes were divided between fearing it, since it was probably leading them only to another danger, or grab it with all their attention. After all, it was the only true distraction from the sight that sorrounded them from all sides.

It was a long endeavour, and for some of them it actually felt more exhausting than the previous battle, but eventually the crowd opened up, and the heroes stepped into an open space.

They ascertained their new sorroundings quickly, with surprise. Gazes were quickly thrown Shadow Ring's way. The crowd was supposed to go on, thicken, not to slacken like that. The ninja was just as confused. They were sure that…

With a sharp gesture, Bang broke any discussion before it could start. The ringing was still going strong. They had to continue.

The group obeyed, and advanced. Now that they had no crowd to be wary of, they covered the rest of the plaza more quickly. As they went, the ringing became stronger, clearer. Eventually, they reached the end of the plaza, where the colonnade ended into a street leading away into the silent city.

They expected much, but not what they found.

Close to the corner beteen the plaza and the street, there was a small bar, with tables arranged before great glass windows. Around the tables, there was the strangest group they had ever seen.

A tall, cloaked woman leisurely sat at one of that table, the only one, drinking from a glass. The top half of her head was covered by a strange contraption, similar to a visor. One could almost exchange her for a human, if it wasn't for the long, black tail with which she raised the glass. The beeping cellphone laid discarded on her table.

At a certain distance, what it looked to be a giant rabbit stood with its long arms crossed over a chest covered with futuristic-looking armor. He watched them with a deep frown, like he was really displeased to be here, or for them to be there.

Lastly, a human-sized cloud of black particles flew around. It laughed intermittently, with the same laughter they had followed, the sound stopping and going off with static and fizzles. The limp form of Sonic hang between the particles forming its tail, the ninja's limbs bonelessly thrown around at each daring turn of the cloud.

The strangeness of the scene was enought to give the heroes pause.

While they hesitated, the black woman put down her glass, and turned to them.

"Ah, there you are." She said with nonchalance, like she was noticing them only in that moment. Her long tail touched the cellphone, stopping the beeping. She relaxed against her chair. Her lips, the only visible feature of her face, were slightly curved downward. "Slow. So very slow. I am somewhat disappointed."

Those words, albeits unexpected, were enough to break the moment of doubt of the heroes.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Major stomped forward aggressively. After all that slogging, her nerves were starting to fray, and she had to bite her tongue to not start to pretend to know how and where her kohai were.

The woman hummed casually in response, turning to receive another glass full of what looked to be orange juice. A manikin, the sleeping face of a girl showing on its head, dutifully put it before her, and collected the empty one.

Major assisted to the exchange with mouth wide-open. She pointed a trembling finger against her.

"It's you!" She accused, ignoring a warning hiss from Shadow Ring. "It's you that did all of this!"

The woman didn't answer, busy taking another drink. Major snarled and made to advance.

Bang barred her path with an arm, just as the rabbit growled threateningly. Death Gatling, that was more than ready to follow Major, moved his aim from the woman to him.

"Calm down." Bang murmured, giving the heroine a stern side-glance. Visibly angry, Major made to protest, but a look at the sympathy in Bang's eyes made her hesitate. She bit her lip and nodded, stepping back.

The woman in black calmly emptied half of her glass pefore putting it down with a small sigh. She turned to Bang, slightly tilting her head. Her posture expressed a calm kind of curiosity.

"Who are you?" Bang asked, methodically articulating each word. "You are not of this planet, i reckon."

Thoughts of the previous invasion whirled across the heroes' mind, but nobody moved a muscle. Bang had already warned them earlier.

The woman in black watched them for a moment. "Blacktail." She said eventually. Her tone was amiable, like they were having a fireside chat. "And… yes, and no."

Bang's frown deepened, but he didn't press the topic.

"It is you who did this?"

The woman nodded, smile untouched.

"It is you that… defeated Saitama?"

The question caught the three heroes out of guard. Who the heck was Saitama now? Glances were snuck Bang's way, but the old man had eyes only for the seated figure.

The woman in black just tilted her head by a side, and said nothing.

Bang thinned his lip into a line. It was her, no doubt about it. The descrption given him by Fubuki didn't leave shadow of doubt.

"Why?" He asked, bad feelings churning in his gut.

"Mh?" The woman looked amiably confused. "What are you referring yourself to?"

Bang narrowed his eyes. "All these people, why?"

"Oh, of course." The woman shrugged, the movement barely visible under the heavy cloak. It looked like she had remembered the topic just then. "Boredom, mostly."

If someone had thrown a handgrenade between the heroes, it wouldn't have obtained the same explosive reaction.

Major dashed forward, smashing against Shadow Ring, that had promptly jumped on her way to stop her. Death Gatling shot, but all its bullets disappeared between a stream raised by Bang. The brooding hero, eyes wide and full of something savage, locked eyes with his senior, calm and collected, but also cold. He grudgingly lowered his weapon with a growl.

It wasn't the same for Major. Only Shadow Ring's frantic opposition stopped her from throwing herself headlong into a brawl.

"What the fuck do you mean boredom!" She screamed, almost hysteric. "All these people are fucking trapped in black shit! Get them out, you hear me? Get them out! Give me back my kohai!"

The woman in black assisted to the outburst with what looked to be kind amusement.

"What a spiffy, young girl." She commented with a low chuckle.

Thankfully, Shadow Ring was already there to rebouble his efforts or Major would have thrown herself at her like a meteor.

The heroine was still raging when the woman in black resumed her talking.

"But enough of this, let's talk about your reason to be here." She said, looking like she had exhausted her reserve of interest for the girl. "Oh, there's not a reason to be alarmed." She chuckled when the heroes stiffened. "I am sure you all have your questions. I will gradly answer them." She looked thoughtful for a moment, silently appraising each of them in turn.

Despite the welcoming words, no hero opened his mouth. They were tense and ready for violence to erupt any second. Only Bang listened with something resembling calm.

Blacktail sighed, then began. "You see…" She said, conversational. "I am an important person. Not much, mind you. Somewhat. But important for you in this moment, and that's all that matters." She chuckled under her breath, like she had just said a joke that only she could understand, before resuming. "As a somewhat important person, i have duties, mostly boring stuff, no need to talk about it." She sighed. "They take a great deal of my time, and so when i am on vacation, i try to make the better i can of my little spare time. I try to have fun." The point of her tail traced a circle in the air. "This is just killing time, really. You humans are a funny species to experiment with."

The heroes struggled to grasp all the implications of those words. None talked.

"Right now". Blacktail continued, thoughtful. "I'd really like to see something more exciting. Some battle, i think, yes. Something like that." She turned to them, lips curved with disappointment. "I thought that you could provide some sport, but i regretfully found you all too slow for my taste." She shrugged minutely, as to say that she didn't like it, but there was nothing to do about it.

The three A-Class almost jumped. The battle they had just fought was for the amusement of that creature? Various degree of disbelief, anger and outrage ran through their minds.

Using the pause in the speech, Bang came forward. He threw a rapid glance at the rabbit when he growled, but was undeterred.

"What do you want, then?" He said, his tone surprisingly calm given the circumstances.

Blacktail turned to adress him. Bang felt like he was being rummaged by an invisible hand, the same feeling that he had already felt, but didn't back down.

"I want you to understand." She replied with amiable calm. "Your planet right now has a responsability: to make so that i have a good time during my vacation."

They would have laughed. Was that any other circumstance, they would have laughed at the absurdity, the enormity of that pretense. But there, sorrounded by a city of a sleeping corpses, they couldn't. In that moment, they could only feel the weight of the arrogance behind those words, and it was stunning.

"With what right…" Shadow Ring croaked, looking like they were choking on their own breath.

"Right!" Blacktail chuckled, the sound of it so clear that the ninja remained without words. "How old are you?" She asked with an amused kind of indulgence.

The question took the ninja by surprise. They exchanged uncomprehending glances with the other heroes.

"I am not talking about you personally, of course." Blacktail precised, amused. "I mean you as a species. How old are you? Half a million years? I fear not."

She had just stopped talking that the swirling cloud exploded into a tittering laughter. "So young!" It exclaimed with a shrill voice. "Too young! The boss was here before you came out of the primordial soup! You're all like ants before the boss!"

Bang felt the implications hit him like a punch in the gut, but maintained his self-control. "What are trying to say?" He asked, throwing a side glance at his comrades. They looked absolutely floored, and he couldn't blame them.

"Simply put, you're standing on my property, human." Blacktail gently informed. Her tail gently whirled around, like she wanted to include all the sorrounding in her words. "This earth. This sky. In fact, all this part of galaxy belong to me. They did since a very long time. Much, much earlier you started to walk on two feet. And that, i am afraid, means that your civilization belong to me as well. I own you all."

It was too much. Simply too much. Even Shadow Ring felt their knees wobble.

"I don't ask much, don't worry." Blacktail reassured them. "Just a little amusement. Dance, play, fight for me. Just that, and something else, who knows. Do it and when my vacation is over, i'll go back to work, leaving you all to whatever future you decide to build for yourself."

Bang felt his throat dry. "And what if we can't?"

"Then your planet is going to go kaboom! Gyahahahah!" Cackled the black cloud, swirling madly around, jerking Sonic's form with it. "That's what happens when planets cannot satisfy the boss!" Its cackling ended with a yelp when the tail whipped it once.

Blacktail sank back into her chair, not even deigning of a glance her whipped minion. "Planetary explosions have their charm, yes." She breathed, a little dreamy.

To face monsters that send people running for their life. To stand against danger that people would be considered mad to face against. That was what the heroes of the Association were called to do, even more in the years since the appearances of Monsters had been on the rise. Since Shibabawa's prophecy their duty had painting itself with the threat of "The World's End".

The chance that a danger could mean the end of the humankind. S-Class and the upper A-Class had been throughly briefed about it. Had talked about it. Lived with it. Even laughed about it.

But they had never truly faced it.

Now that they did, for real, with no chance to escape from it, they felt like the weight of the world fell upon their shoulders, literally.

Still, each of them reacted to it in a different way.

Shadow Ring didn't stop to think about it. Discipline and duty were so ingrained in them that they just took a stance and, their mind empty of thought, prepared to battle.

Death Gatling didn't believe it, plain and simple. He had seen the might of the S-Class, and to him that was the best the world had to offer. A planet-wide destruction was unconceivable.

Major went into full battle rage mode. World destruction or not, she was here to fight and wouldn't return without her kohai, no matter the cost.

Each of them was scared and angry, confused and disbelieving, ready and tense like a bowstring. Their feelings ran high as high-voltage current.

Only Bang remained calm.

"What wonderful reactions." Blacktail mused. "You can really see why they're called heroes. Maybe i have misjudged them."

A tense silence fell, with the heroes ready but none of them daring to make a move.

It was Blacktail to break the moment.

"Mh, maybe you're expecting some kind of attack." She mused. "To be truthful, right now i just wanted to make my wishes known. You four lack the abilities i search for. Although…" She watched them, one of them in particular. "You, Bang." The old man narrowed his eyes. "I don't want you in my game."

Those words were barely uttered that a giant form fell heavily between the table and the heroes. Startled, the four drew back, arms raised to cover their faces from the raised dust and blowing wind.

"You heard the boss, human." OFF growled. His massive form loomed over the heroes. "You ain't getting back."

Bang wasn't scared. He wasn't. But still, his thoughts betrayed him. Together with all the bad feelings that had accompanied him until there, the memory of his dear brother appeared before him. He set his jaws and prepared to fight.


	9. Chapter 9

One could hear a coin drop in the tense silence that ruled over the comunication room of the Fubuki Group. Field members ran out and about while operatives worked at radiostations, but all activities had a hushed, almost reluctant tone to them. Everyone spasmodically awaited for news.

The only truly resolute sounds were the clicks of Fubuki's high heels. The A-Class paced tensely, now close now far, but always graviting around the desk whose operative listened continuously on the frequence of her now-silent scouts. From time to time, her hand absently patted the pocket where she held her cellphone, betrayed by the impression of feeling it vibrate. The tension of the Group's leader held sway over the room like a shroud. It made the air feel heavy, like a storm was brewing just out of sight. Part reason of the hushed tone of all activities was because her subordinates didn't want to intrude on her right now.

Lily shared just that kind of opinion, but the umpteenth skull-drilling glare that her Boss threw the way of the sweat-covered operative was enough to overcome even her deep-seated awe.

"Fubuki-Sama." The girl began hesitantly. "Maybe it would be better for you take a break? Some coffee?"

She barely had said that that Fubuki stopped dead on her tracks, whirled on her heels and pinned her with a glare that made her jump, eep, hide behind her clipboard and instantly regret every decision that brought her there.

It lasted just for a moment, though. Fubuki's eyes softened, and the young woman looked only tired and remorseful.

"Yes, you're probably right." She sighed. The tension was really draining her, she couldn't lie. She felt like it had been hours since she was stuck inside that damn hole of a room.

Lily eyed her warily for a moment, before the old feelings kicked in and anything else melted into a wave of partecipation for her beloved leader's feelings. "Shall we go?" She asked, smiling weakly.

Fubuki just nodded tensely. She mentally berated herself. That poor girl really was the last person on earth she had the right to treat harshly.

Getting out of the stuffy room felt wonderful. Fubuki felt she could finally breath freely again. A little bit, at least. She was still concerned out of her skin for Bang and the others. But at least it didn't feel like the world was about to collapse on her at any moment.

"Espresso!" Lily declared with a dazzling smile, showing off a tiny mug like it was a birthday present. "Your favorite, ma'am!"

Fubuki took it with a grateful smile. She had long stopped asking herself how Lily managed to always have the right things at the right moments, but never stopped appreciating it.

They were in her office, a comfortable space that felt heavenly after being stuck in that damn radio room for so long.

Fubuki relaxed against the back of her chair with a sigh of appreciation. The coffee was warm just right, and she felt the stress slide away from her just at the first sip. She started to see everything in a better light. Yes, the situation was what it was, but there was no point in stressing over concern so much, wasn't it? If else, she had to remain as calm as possibile.

"Lily, take a seat." She said, smiling fully now. "You deserve a rest as much as me. And also some coffee as well."

The girl, that was positively beaming for having brought some measure of rest to her boss, started. "Fubuki-sama, i-it's okay, i…"

Fubuki giggled, shaking her head.

When it came to her subordinates' needs, the boss of the Group took nothing but a yes as answer. And so, in no time at all they were both sitting, sipping from mugs and enjoying the breeze that came from the ajar window.

As she savored the moment, Fubuki felt some measure of trust return in her soul. After all, it was The Silver Fang they were talking about here. With him on the field, what could go wrong?

* * *

Bang slammed back-first against the building wall. The concrete cracked, but the blow was still enough to drive all the air from his lungs.

Choking over an imprecation, the old man powered through the pain and forced himself to move. He got out of the way just a moment before another blow smashed the wall into splinters.

Samersaulting into the air amidst the flying debris, he had a glimpse of the monster's exposed flank. He made his streams fly and flinched at feeling them shatter like so many glass toys.

He landed on the street at some distance away. His back hurt like hell, only the latest addition to a growing collection. And still, what it put dread in his soul was the awareness that could have, should have, much worse.

The giant rabbit drew back his fist from the rubble and turned slowly at him. He was grim, untouched, unruffled even, and pinned him with a cold gaze.

Bang set his jaw and took a stance. His gaze flickered to his comrades.

Major was struggling to get out from the debris of a collapsed wall, cursing as she did. Death Gatling leaned heavily against a street lamp, his gaze almost feverish in its intensity. Shadow Ring had to use their sword as a support just to stand. Dusty, wounded, almost exhausted, they all looked worse for wear.

And it could have, should have, been much, much worse.

The monster broke through his thoughts. He moved with a speed that should't have belonged to something that size. Bang barely had the time to raise his streams before that gigantic furry form covered all his vision. The vision of a meteor coming down from the sky flashed across his memory, but he was undeterred.

His streams rushed to form a complicated pattern, a channel able to redirect massive aggressions while using a fraction of the same strenght. The gigantic furry punch smashed through it like a cannonball through glass. And stopped. The shockwave blasted Bang clean off his feet.

The wind howling in his ears, Bang gritted his teeth. He glimpsed the monster, arm still outstretched, still not following up on his attack. He forced his sides into a sharp movements, taking control of his momentum. He samersaulted, letting the force exhaust itself into movement, and kicked down with both feet. The momentum was still enough for him to gouge into the thick asphalt, digging two trenches before finally coming to a stop.

Ignoring his throbbing chest, forcing his breathing under control, he retook a stance.

That monster was playing with him, that awareness pierced him with the weight of certainty. He could have killed him ten times over by now, but instead kept pulling back his punches before actually hitting him. They were still powerful enough that the shockwaves alone could damage him, but…

Bang's eyes flashed to the left.

"Get the hell out my way!" Major roared, running toward the monster. To Bang's alarm, the girl jumped and threw herself wildly at him. The monster didn't move and, when her fist smashed against his nose, didn't even flinch.

Major screamed and fell back. She rolled on the ground, clutching her wrist and howling in pain.

The monster watched her for a moment, grim. Then he raised his massive foot.

Wide-eyed, Bang rushed forward, followed by the cries of the other heroes. He barely managed to snatch Major away before the monster stomped down hard.

The street caved in, all the asphalt immedialy going into pieces. A circular schockwave emerged from the point of impact, buffeting Bang like a storm. The old man felt it like a giant punch invested him, but still managed to retain enough focus to let his streams surround him. He rode the storm, Major held tightly in his arms, and managed to land at some distance away.

His battered knees protested loudly at absorbing the impact, cracks sneaking through the asphalt under his feet, but he ignored them.

"Are you okay?" He panted.

What he could see of Major's face was pale white. The girl shivered wildly and had bit her lip bloody. Still, she nodded with wild stubborness.

Bang frowned, eying the fingers of the hand she clutched at her chest, how they bend unnaturally. That all just from punching? He exchanged a knowing look with the girl, that just responded with a defiant one of her own. Without breaking eye contact, she reached for her broken hand and, one after the other, snapped the fingers back into place, muffling screams at each sharp twist.

"Nice spirit." Bang mumbled, pride despite everything crossing her features while the girl bent over herself. "Keep that up."

Major said nothing, too busy sobbing and wheezing, but still managed to give him a thumbs up.

He let her down and got up.

The monster advanced toward them, gait slow and methodical. He left a trail of footmarks into the street as he came.

Bang eased himself into a martial stance, but the feeling of futility seared his mind.

"Sir Bang!" Shadow Ring came at his side, reaching to help Major on her feet. Behind them, Death Gatling held his weapon aimed at the monster. Their gazes met and Bang saw that they thought the same thing he was thinking, plus a generous amount of dismay. They were out of their depths, way way so.

Bang set his jaw. How foolish it seemed now what he thought at the start of that little expedition, the vague hope that him and a small group of heroes could weight something before those aliens, that they could actually matter. No, the danger they faced was beyond anything he could immagine. They were outmatched, completely.

Bang wasn't afraid to die. He was old, he had lived more than enough. But those three young heroes that followed him. They had, had!, to survive. Not only because they deserved it, but also because someone had to carry what they learned back to Fubuki and the Association. All together, maybe they'd hold enough power to stop this danger before it was too late.

The monster made a last stomping step and stopped.

The three A-Class held their positions, but Bang could feel their fear and dismay, their frustrated anger. Still, none of them even tried to escape, not even Major, clutching her broken hand at her chest. He couldn't but be proud. Yes, he had to save them, at any cost.

He watched the monster, mind working for a way out. They couldn't win, that was obvious, but how to retreat? That monster was so powerful. And again, it puzzled him that he just didn't finish them off. With his strenght, it was clear that…

Understanding dawned on him, making him widen his eyes, and then settle back into a brooding expression.

"So, this is also a game." He said, gaze flicking toward the bar. "You want us to surrender?"

Blacktail still sat at her place, immersed in the reading of a little booklet. She didn't seem to even hear the question. The living cloud of black particles swirled around, still holding Sonic's limp form.

"You get it, old man!" It cackled. "But it's not all of you! Only you! Surrender and do what the boss says! Or don't! OFF will make you!"

Bang brooded over it, while the three A-Class started with indignation.

"If i surrender." He said slowly. "Will you let them go?"

The heroes' eyes snapped to him, full of surprise.

"Nope." Blacktail replied, changing page without even looking up.

Bang snorted, setting his gaze back on the monster. "Then i won't surrender."

The black cloud tittered. "Good! Good! Do that! But it won't matter in the end!"

Bang was painfully aware that that was the simple truth.

Suddenly, someone bumped his shoulder. Surprised, he turned, finding Death Gatling staring at him with what he could only call anger and betrayal.

"Don't you dare again say that." The brooding hero said, and, flashing him with another glare, shouldered past him.

Frowning, Bang turned to the other two heroes, both of which held the same kind of outrage in their eyes. Even Shadow Ring seemed bewildered.

"We won't leave you, Sir Fang." The ninja promised, looking absolutely outraged at the simple proposition of the idea.

Major, holding her arm close to her chest, grimaced. "I am not leaving without my kohai."

Bang watched them for a moment, then shook his head.

"Don't be stupid." He grumbled. "Someone has to report what we discovered back to the Association. And if i can't, one of you will have to. This is your mission now. And i expect that each and everyone of you do his best to fulfill it." He threw an admonishing side-glance around. "Is that clear?"

It was clear, but not welcome by any stretch of the immagination. Major bit her tortured lip for a while before nodding stiffly. Death Gatling just grunted something. Shadow Ring nodded, the simple gesture seemingly difficult enough to require all of their strenght.

"Good." Bang nodded. Despite everything, a smile flickered on his features as he took back his posizion. "Appreciated anyway."

There was a snort from Major, but the other two said nothing. They didn't need to. Bang felt pride burn inside of his chest anyway.

"Have you guys finished?" The monster began suddenly, making them start. "Just surrender and be done with it. This is starting to get lame."

The answer was a burst of heavy bullets that shattered against his cheek, without even leaving a mark. The giant monster narrowed his eyes and didn't speak again.

Bang stepped toward him. "I'll take him on." He murmured as he moved. "Wait for your chance and escape. Don't look back."

To his grim satisfaction, Shadow Ring and Major nodded, but as he brushed past Death Gatling, a whisper touched his ears. "I won't escape, S-Class."

Bang frowned, but said nothing. Alone, he advanced into the street. The sun glared hot on his skin, and he was remembered of faraway days passed training and sweating under its gaze. The wind was silent.

"Oh, he's going to do it now!" Chirped Mercury excitedly. "He's going to do something good!"

Blacktail hummed but didn't look up from the booklet.

Bang stopped, and crossed eyes with the monster. "I am Silver Fang." He declared, calmly taking a battle stance. "Dojo Master and founder of the Water Stream Smashing Rock Style. I hold the third seat in the ranking of the S-Class of the Hero Association."

The monster shook his head once, like an animal. "Third, eh?" He snorted, grim. "I am OFF, a mercenary. Ready to quit?"

"Never."

Bang let out a deep breath, focusing. His body, trained to perfection through countless hours of practice, obediently followed his will. His muscles relaxed, his energy flowed out. His body smoothly flowed into another stance, his hands tracing patterns that remained into the air as brilliant streams of crystalline energy.

Slowly, relentlessly, by force of will and martial form, he put all his body's energies into movement, pushed them to expand, to extend, to spread as much as they could possibily spread.

It was a basic tecnique in the upper world of the martial arts, the summoning of the spiritual energy hidden in the human form and centred into the navel, the Chi, that was then imbued into muscles and flesh to make superhuman feats possibile, exceding even what a body trained to perfection could. Still, Bang's control over his own chi was such that he could use it to build spiritual structures of dizzying precision.

With a whirl of his arms, he set his Chi free. The energy was so dense that assumed material shape, forming into massive channels of what looked to be crystalline waters. Centred upon the knotted figure of the old man, a galaxy of flying, dazzling streams took shape, a costruction of marvelous beauty and otherwordly equilibrium. The three heroes marveled at it, recognizing the tecnique that Bang had used to defeat the black monster. OFF's narrowed gaze flicked to it, took in its details, then turned back on the old man.

Bang yelled, pushing on his reserves of Chi, pushing his body to raise to its utmost. His muscles tensed and grew. The asphalt under his feet cracked and caved. His shirt exploded into shreds, but the old man didn't even notice. Bare-chested, he focused deeper, reaching for his limit. He felt it like a wall, a great white wall that cut the world in half. He pushed himself against it, to the last centimeter, scraping for every scrap of power he could.

That was the second last tecnique of his school. Part based on breathing, part on Chi manipulation, it was essentially energy control mastered utterly and completely, to the point that what a normal being could scrape from his energy reserve, he could amass five, ten times more. Many experts, martial artists and Esper alike, said that that form bordered into the supernatural. Bang only regretted not ever being able to pass it on.

He exhaled slowly, his breath condensing and sparkling gold from the sheer spiritual energy contained in it. Fireflies of golden light flowed under his skin, setting it alight.

He raised a hand, slowly. The streams reacted in kind, one of them moving toward him. The supernatural aggregation allineated with the movement of his hand, standing at his side like a silent protector. Bang raised the other hand, and another stream came.

That was the last tecnique of his school. The streams of his style interconnected with the Chi that every living being was sorrounded from. Scooping it into their own flow, they deviated it, and with it deviated the blow that they invariably accompanied. Those manifestations were massively concentrated, gigantic versions of the same principles. Bang would always underplay them, since they were but reproduction of an already known form, but in reality being able to form and control something like that was beyond the ability of all human beings bar a handful of incredibly powerful individuals.

But in that moment, Bang didn't think anything like that. His mind was devoid of thought, his focus unmarred by anything but the here and now, the flowing of the streams, the beating of his heart and the enemy before him. Only an echo of an emotion remained: he was grateful, grateful for his long life, for being able to develop his martial art to that point, for his dojo, for the young, brave heroes that held his back. He was grateful.

OFF grunted, and attacked.

The giant was on him in the blink of an eye, his expression a baleful mask, his massive fist raised to strike. His senses heightened by his current form and state of mind, Bang was already into motion. The streams curved, their slow currents whipping into a frenzy. Gently, almost with benevolence, they settled in parallel to the trajectory of the rushing blow. Their currents latched upon the Chi aura that sorrounded the monster's fist, and flicked to the side. The monster's fist came and stopped abruptly, the shockwave of the blow continuing forward. But the currents channelled it, diverted it, sent it astray and wide. The street just to the right of Bang's foot exploded into fragments and caved, cratered, but no harm touched him.

Bang sneered. It wasn't lost on him the irony of the situation. His greatest tecnique, forced to be used just to defend from the blow of someone that obviously was aiming to not kill him. That would put the marvel on all those lickbooters and their oooh and aaaah that he had met down the years.

But it didn't matter. What it mattered was that he could stand his ground. Even against that mostrously strong foe, he could fight.

Shadow Ring made a break for it. The ninja didn't look back as they dashed for the closest corner. Not because they were scared or anxious to reach safety, but because they feared that looking back would break the will that they had painfully managed to ammass. To leave behind comrades was anathema to the ninja, a stain upoin their soul, but Silver Fang's orders were clear and they were ready to do anything to see them done.

Unfortunately, a flurry of bullets createred the road before them, and the ninja had to stop abruptly to not end skewered.

Wide-eyed, the ninja snapped to look at Death Gatling, but the hero wasn't the one to shoot. Looking at the still smoking bullets lodged into the asphalt, they saw that they were strangely round pebbles.

"Don't try anything funny." Shadow Ring whirled around.

Still facing Bang, OFF was giving them a narrowed side-glance. The giant monster munched around something, making the sound of gravel.

Bang's frown deepened. That monster was using pebbles like bullets?

He didn't have time to dwell upon that thought. OFF moved as quick as the wind. Bang raised his streams once again, but his surprise, the monster didn't come for him, instead dashing beyond him.

"Curses!" Bang whirled around, realization hitting him like a hammer.

Death Gatling and Major tried to move, but the monster was upon them before they could mount a defence.

Cursing his carelessness, Bang dashed toward them, the streams moving with him. But then, OFF, that seemed poised to strike the two surprised heroes, snapped around and sent hist fist thundering towards him.

Bang widened his eyes, realizing that he had been fooled. Gritting his teeth, he raised both hands and streams. The shockwave felt a train smashing against him. Out of balance, his streams shuddered to sustain the blow, but didn't break. With a yell, Bang deviated it, sending it to fly away. It smashed against a wall, breaking concrete and sending debris flying. The entire building gave a shudder and then caved in, collapsing in a cloud of dust and a violent rumble.

Amidst the dust, Bang regained the ground. He flicked a glance at the three heroes, that quickly retook position behind him, before turning back at the monster.

The dust around was instantly blown away by a thunderous breath, revealing OFF. Eyes narrowed, OFF watched first the heroes, and then brought his piercing gaze back on Bang.

The old man didn't tremble nor drew back. He was calm, his mind focused, his breath even.

"You are an opponent of a few words." He began. He was used to monsters that made a lot of noise or keep going over their power or motivations.

The colossus grunted. "I let my actions speak for me."

"We share something then." Bang planted his feet firmly to the ground, steeling himself. His streams reacted at his increased focus by narrowing to points. Something big was about to arrive, he felt it.

And he wasn't disappointed.

OFF came at him with a flurry of punches. Bang saw it like a wall of fists, all coming for his head. He didn't back off, he didn't hesitate. His streams rose fearlessly to meet that attack.

The hero and the monster clashed with a din of thunder. All the street erupted like a tempest had engulfed it. Shockwaves exploded forward and were deviated, cratering the earth. The street exploded into debris, walls were burst through and crashed, bringing down the buildings that they held up.

The clash was so fierce that the three A-Class had to run for shelter to avoid being blasted away.

Bang roared, filling his streams with energy. The pounding rose into a crescendo, the schockwaves joining into single gigantic pulses of kinetic energy that steamrolled the entire area. Rubbles and blocks of masonry were thrown into the air. Collapsing buildings fell to pieces even as they collapsed.

Bang didn't think, didn't care for the pain roaring in his body. He just deviated and deviated and deviated, his blood flying into the air just to instantly dissolve into the storm of wind.

A last, massive fist came his way, and he set his streams to fly like raging dogs. They caught the impetus, channelled it, and then sent it straight back at the source.

A last, massive impulse of power razed the area, and then everything fell silent.

Slowly, the three A-Class rose from where they had cowered and watched, wide-eyed.

Bang stood at the middle of a scene of devastation, all around him a crater strewn with rubble. He was bloodied, ragged, panting, but he still stood on his stance. His eyes burned like coals.

Before him, OFF held an arm to protect his face, the clear mark of an attack scoring the fur of his forearm.

The monster looked at it, grim, then to Bang. He grunted and stomped down, readying himself.

Bang let his breath let out in a slow expiration. The three A-Class leaned to see, riddled with tension.

For a moment, the breeze picking between the rubble was the only thing one could hear.

"Well…" The voice of Blactail cut through the silence like a knife on silk. "That was an impressive display. But i think that these side-characters had had enough screentime. OFF, if you could be so kind?"

Bang felt the string of his luck snap.

OFF came at him, massive form roaring through the air. Bang raised his streams, pushed his skill and energy to their utmost limit. The gigantic fist of the monster brutally smashed through them, and this time didn't stop.

Bang saw it come, and saw that it had death written upon it. He was hit in full. Pain exploded through him. He felt all of his bones break.

Spiraling through the air, he saw the blue great sky and the shining golden fragments of his streams, heard the cries of Major and Shadow Ring.

"Brother…"


	10. Chapter 10

"Alright! Alright! I give!"

Bang rolled his eyes at his brother's particular expression of giving up. Like millennia-old mountain peaks given to martial training needed more maiming.

"That was a splendid fight. Well done, brother." He said, breathless. That couldn't be closer to the truth. All his muscles ached with exertion. His hands throbbed something nasty for all the spiralling cutting attack he had to deflect.

Plopping down on the ground, Bomb gave him a nasty glare. A big bruise on his cheek glowed an angry purple, but the only thing that seemed to be really hurting was his pride.

"Can you at least look a bit happy that you bested me?" He snarled. "You won! You martial art is better than mine! Gloat a little, damn you!"

His arm gave a sharp pain when he tentatively flexed it. Bang flinched, but still gave his brother a wide grin.

"Nope." He spread his arms and closed his eyes, letting his brother's snarl pass him by. He felt hot and sweaty after that big fight, and probably he had something twisted somewhere, but right now it didn't matter. Energy flowed through him like a fountain of electricity. He felt alive and young and full of the same wind that battered the mountain top.

He opened his eyes, grinning wide.

His brother, too busy muttering under his breath, noticed with surprise the hand offered to him.

"Why should i gloat?" Bang said. "Your martial art is magnificent!" He grinned at Bomb's astonished expression. "And then, haven't we always been you and me, brother? So, why should i gloat?"

Bomb's answer wasn't anything understandable, just an angry grumble over stupids and their stupid heads, but his grip was firm.

In that moment, with the setting sun warming his skin, Bang felt truly blessed. He had his martial art, his brother by his side and, he was sure of it, a bright future ahead of him. He could feel it, his luck, strong as a rope, holding him like a lifeline. He felt young and strong, and the world was full of light and hopes.

Hopes that, he was sure of it, would blossom wonderfully, in time.

Bang awoke with a small start. Slowly, he blinked to a sky streaked with grey. Splotches of red and white danced before his vision, and they ignored his attempt to clear them away. There was no sound, only a humming white noise. His thoughts ran sluggish like thick syrup. Something tugged at his mind, but he couldn't focus on it. His head felt like it was full of cotton.

From somewhere that felt like a thousand miles away, garbled sounds reached to him. They pinched at that evasive tugging, adding a nameless urgency to it.

Bang tried to think, to remember. It was difficult. His thoughts flowed through his fingers like oil, refusing to stand still. Had his brother remembered to do the laundry? No, today had to be his turn. Bomb was probably out picking fights as his usual. That was where that ruckus was coming from. It made sense.

A list of things to do rushed haphazardly before him. Get up, warm-up training, breakfast, wash the clothes down the river, pick some fruits in the forest, training training training. Today was resistance, strenght or tecniques? He couldn't remember… no biggie, he'd just check the calendar. Hoping that brother rememebered to update it… well, he just had to get up and check.

But that was hard! He felt sluggish, and tired, so tired. Couldn't he sleep another five minutes? Just five minutes more, then he'd up and running, promise.

His sense of responsability reared his ugly head, nagging at him like an outraged chicken. Figures that it couldn't let him rest for another minute. But still… if his brother was pestering people again… and he had to keep up his daily schedule. The early bird and all.

Disastrous images of losing shape and training flopped along his thoughts. Yes, better he'd get up. He'd just do that. Any minute now. He'd get and… and…

Torpor latched on him with tendrils of lead. His thoughts lost cohesion, the sense of urgency nagging at him became a echo of another time, far away. The world dimmed, became distant, so distant. But it was nothing. He'd wake up any moment now. He'd just had to… to…

Something thudded close, driving a spike into the ennui that was taking him. The urgency latched at it like a shipvrecked into the ocean. His thoughts followed, dragged at it like flotsam, retaking shape. That sound… it had felt like a rock thudding on rock. But there was no rock in his little room. The floor was of beaten dirt… or he had covered it with wood? He couldn't remember… was his brother calling him? He'd better get up.

The attempt to move came vacuous like a garbled call. Bang was vaguely sure to have moved an arm, but instead felt, somewhere far far away, only a finger flinch a bit. He felt it scrape against something hard, that felt like concrete.

How strange. How peculiar.

Again, it felt like someone was calling him, tugging at the sense of urgency in his mind.

He tried to focus more. The garbled voices in the distance got a little clearer. He recognized a barking sound, like a band of dogs were giving everything they got with their vocal cords. But there was something wrong with it. It was too quick, too… aggressive, even for a bunch of angry dogs.

Still, what it had truly got his attention was… there it was again, a voice, calling. Was calling to him? No… it didn't hold any kind of distress, of fear. It was more of a roar, defiance and brutal anger formed into sound.

Bang tried to remember where he had already heard something like that. The urgency was paramount now, tugging at him like an angry wolf. He focused, focused, pushing back the torpor and confusion and, finally, a flash of recognition hit him.

The fog holding him retreated, and his senses returned to him. Sounds of battle rushed to his ears and pain flared, hot and angry, in every centimeter of his body. There was not a molecule of him that didn't burn in agony. And still, a great calm fell upon his mind. The confusion retreated at the edge of his perceptions, and he could think clearly once again.

Wheezing mantras to keep his focus despite the pain, he let his spirit expand to take stock of his conditions. What he found made him grunt. Most of his bones were in pieces. There and then he felt spears of hot agony break through his skin, the fragments that had punched through when the bone had been shattered.

He realized that his mouth was full of the taste of blood. He tried to spit, but the motion resulted just into a messy dribble. His jaw was slack on a side, and he couldn't feel half of his face.

Slowly, flinching with pain at every movement, he maneuvered himself until he could see in the direction where the sounds were coming from.

At some distance from where he laid, his team was engaged in desperate combat with OFF. As he watched, Major and Shadow Ring rushed forward, the formed's left arm hanging limp, and were sent bowling back from the shockwave unleashed by a wave of the giant's arm. With a snarl contorting his face, Death Gatling shot without respite, but he might as well be throwing feathers for the effect his bullets had. A spat rock smashed against his weapon, sending him sprawling back in a cloud of metal fragments.

It was obvious that the three A-Class had not even the smallest chance of victory. OFF barely responded to their frenzied, uncordinated attacks and even the few movements he did were enough to send the three heroes flying.

Still they attacked, relentlessly, no matter how many times they were beaten back, no matter if their attacks seemed to provoke no effect whatsover. Major roared and snarled like a beast. Shadow Ring's eyes were wide and bloodshot. Death Gatling's weapon never stopped barking, even with half of it sheared away.

Bang cursed under his breath. Those three young'uns had let themselves get caught by lust for revenge, when they should have tried to make a run for it. It wasn't like he couldn't understand, but that wasn't the time for niceties.

He had to do something.

Feeling calm, feeling calmer that he had ever felt, Bang looked over his options. He could stay down, lay dead, try to recover. He couldn't heal himself, but he could at least keep himself alive with what energy remained to him. Probably that was what Blacktail wanted, or she wouldn't have taken the bother to keep him alive in the first place. Not like he could understand that thing's real motivation. The vision of the alien creature at her seat, disinterested even now by the fight, was an eyesore.

The alternative… no point in denying it. The alternative was to die. If he moved, he would die. Images of snapped bones piercing fleshy organs flashed across his mind. His chest tightened, and he closed his eyes. Blacktail flipped another page. Major smashed against a wall, screaming when her wounded arm twisted.

Bang opened his eyes. He had decided.

He pushed what remained of his ki into his shattered body. He wheezed and his breath broke while spirit mended body. Bony fragments cracked back into place, torn ligaments snapped back together, rent muscles were forcibly reconnetted by strands of energy. A palliative, nothing more, false health held together by force of will. It still left him soaked with sweat and a darknening vision.

Slowly, he planted a hand into concrete and forced himself up. He marveled at how calm he was. In fact, now he wondered why he had needed time to decide in the first place. There was only a choice he could follow, wasn't it?

Blood dribbled on his face, from his arms, legs, across his face, an inundation of warm, crimson lifeforce. It covered the grey of the concrete all around him. It was surprising how much a human body could hold of it, even an old sack of bones like him.

"Still… not so bad…" He murmured, voice coming out as a growl by a rasped throat and a broken jaw. He coughed, the motion rattling all of his frame.

Two things he had truly chased for all his life. Martial arts and, later, teaching. As a martial artist, he felt confident to say that he didn't do bad. As a teacher, well, he had his regrets there, even some big ones, but who didn't? Ah, Garou, you young fool…

"Not… so bad, brother…"

Still, compared to the satisfactions? To the successes? All in all, not half bad. He got to live a long, satisfying life and, in the end, to see the next generation of heroes spring up. Genos, Saitama, Tatsumaki and all that circus of weirdos that called themselves Heroes. Even those three down there, following him into danger and now fighting a battle that they couldn't win.

Really, how lucky.

To do something more? Of course he wanted that. Saitama's blank face came to mind, or Genos' unresolved issues, or another thousands things he still wanted to put his hands on.

But the world didn't wait for you, and that was something you could only accept.

"OFF!" His scream blasted across the entirety of the area, the sheer, psychical force of the sound sending gravel and dust into the air.

The massive monster's shoulders tensed for a moment, then went back down. He turned, and it was a mighty frown the one he regarded him with. Bang made a wonky smirk, feeling pain licking up his face.

Despite nodding to Shadow Ring and Major's astonished, terrified expressions, like he was about to bring them to safety, he found himself out of ideas. He got up, for what?

But he had been lucky, hadn't he? Lucky, from the beginning to the end.

The other choice was stay down and let the young take it in his place, and wasn't that a bit of betrayal, now. The indegnity of the thought alone was enough to make his skin crawl. Nice way to say thanks for all he had got. Nice way for a teacher to carry himself before the young. No, he had lived enough and wouldn't spoil it by falling right at the end. He was Silver Fang, and his last moment would be worthy of the fate he had been so lucky to have.

He was too old to fool himself with the hope of being able to give those three the time they needed to escape. It was a nice dream, but only that. And still, he wasn't giving up. Never. He wouldn't do what Blacktail wanted. That monster wouldn't bend him. Call him petty, he wouldn't let it happen, no matter the cost.

They were such stubborn, juvenile thoughts to have that amusement tugged at his smile.

"You stubborn moron." OFF growled.

The stance came easy to Bang, the flows of energy appearing beside him like strands of plucked wind. He hadn't ever noticed how beautiful they were. Strange to do it just now.

OFF threw a glance to his side. Bang hadn't seen when Blacktail had put down her booklet. The woman was calmly watching. She nodded slowly at OFF, then turned to him. She tilted her head, like she was waiting for an answer, and didn't smile.

OFF grunted and took position, clenching his fists. The permission for the execution had been given.

Even the three A-Class understood. With a scream, they threw themselves to OFF, only to be violetly rebuffed by a shockwave from the massive monster's stomping foot. They smashed into the debris, coming to a rest, wheezing and panting and spent, between rubble and rocks.

As they tumbled, Bang had managed to get a glimpse of Shadow Ring's widened eyes. A message passed through them. The old man would give them the time they needed, even if he didn't feel any certainty in being able to. There was no answer; the ninja fell between the rubble before he had the chance to convey one.

Bang breathed out slowly. The face of his brother flickered before him, young, then old, then disappeared. Only a lucid calm remained, terse like a still pool. Under the water of his mind, shapes moved.

He was ready.

OFF's massive form roared towards him, blasting rubble on his path. Bang felt fitting being able to recognize the movement of the monster's fist. Like a condemned that knew very well the blade of the axe.

He focused, pushing his perceptions to their limits. It came unbalanced, different, like a drunkard seeking for support. But it dragged him onward, and he left it. The shapes revolved under the currents. The buzzing that had been going on the back of his mind resolved into a rising drone. OFF's fist was coming, the air punching outward from its trajectory.

Bang pushed himself against the limit, felt its sturdiness. He was shattered, his ki was unbalanced, what he had always done in a way, now he did in another, one that he couldn't put a name on. Ispiration of the moment led him like a river current. For the fraction of a moment, he groped, scraping, searching, calling for something he didn't know. The rising drone defeaned him. The shape twirled, then coalesced. The meaning of it all hit him like a thuderbolt, and understanding seared into his brain. Like it had always been there, he felt it.

A crack in the wall.

It stood there, almost mocking in its innocence. Where it had been for all of his life?

Awe drowned any other consideration. For all of his life he had searched for perfection in the martial arts. When he had hit the wall, he had thought that his path was complete, that nothing remained but to teach and pass what he had found to the next generation.

Now, at the end, a last chance to go forzard? To break through?

Fervently pushing his fingers into that crack, he decided that he had had enough luck to last him for another ten thousand existences. There was only to hope that it wouldn't come to bite him, when and if there was another life for him.

That was his last thought. He punched into the crack, and the wall came crumbling down. Power burst out, and light enveloped him.

Defying his broken body, Bang moved smoothly while the fist thundered toward him. His fingers came slow, finding a furred wrist. There was a small movement, a flick.

The entire area exploded.

What remained of the buildings came crumbled down, scythed right through by the shockwave. The street caved with a deafening rumble. A massive, rubble-strewn crater appeared into the blink of an eye. Massive chunks of masonry were launched into the air, together with a cloud of dust that enveloped the entire area.

Mercury squeaked a protest when the cloud came over it and Blacktail. It formed into a dome formed by whirling black dust, protecting the table and its occupant from the rushing winds.

"OFF! You stupid oaf!" It screeched. "You weren't supposed to hit us too!"

Safely hidden behind the living screen, Blacktail hummed thoughtfully. "He didn't, at least not on purpose." The empty glass clinked on the table.

For a few moments, she watched as the world all around was thrown upside down. Then, she

was up on a whirl of black robes, walking toward the center of the shockwave. Mercury hurried to follow, to protect her from the wind, leaving table and all to be blasted away.

When both reached the center of the crater, the aftershocks had ceased, and the dust was starting to settle. Amidst swirls of concrete dust, OFF stood, his massive bulk made grey by dirty fur. He was watching fixedly at a point on the left.

"Great job you did!" Mercury protested. "If it wasn't for me, Blackwaitl would have been all covered with dust!" A pat on the head from the long tail of the woman made it flinch.

"It's okay, Mercury. As you said, you were there." She stopped to regard OFF. "OFF had something else to focus on."

The big monster stirred. "Want me to try and chase them?" He didn't turn. "The tracks have been muddled, but it's not impossible if i start right away."

"What are you babbling about no… oh?! Wait a minute! Where are those three gone?!" Mercury started flying around frantically, the limp form of Sonic trailing after it like a ragdoll. "You oaf! You gave them a smokescreen to escape! Stupid!"

OFF ignored it. He turned at Blacktail, frowning.

"It doesn't matter." Blacktail shrugged minutely. Her lips forming into a little sly smile. "It's all part of the game."

Grunt grunted but said nothing. He turned, and, grimly, followed the curious gaze of Blacktail.

Bang was still on his feet.

The old man was a monument to blood and ragged determination. He wheezed and trembled. His aura was but a guttering spark. His arms were still twisted in the final form of his last effort.

OFF looked upon him with frowning solemnity. "He diverted my punch. Sent it wide and down to blow up all this." He paused. "I didn't expect him to be able to."

"Of course." Blacktail stepped toward the barely standing man. "A last ditch ispiration. A jump over the limit propelled by death's breath. Such a rare happening." She regarded him with a curious smile. "Ever seen it?"

OFF grimaced, uncovering blocky teeth. "A couple of times."

"I thought so." She seemed pleasantly impressed with Bang. "A magnificent performance, human. You did well."

That was the last for the old man. A horrifying chorus of creaks and snaps echoed from inside him. His arms dropped and he fell to his knees, gurgling. Flesh blood spurted from his wounds.

"A terrible waste, don't you think, OFF?" Blacktail commented quietly, witnessing the last gasps of the old man.

OFF grunted affirmatively, but the rapid glance he threw her was wary.

Blacktail stepped toward the gasping human, that couldn't even see her anymore. His chin was against his chest.

"Such a wonderful specimen…" Her tail raised up.

Blacktail stopped dead on her tracks. She lowered her gaze on the glowed hand that, emerging from the layer of dust cloud covering the pavement, had grabbed hold of the front of her cape.

"Oh?"

All the battering had taken its toll on Major's outfit, the once brilliant pink now lost into a featureless gray. But the single eye that her broke visor left vision of was still aflame.

"Stay away… from him…" The A-Class rasped.

Blacktail watched her for a moment, expressionless, then turned to the left.

Not even Death Gatling had come out from all the commotion unscathed. His outfit had more points where it was broken, stained or scratched than not. Even his signature weapon was barely hanging together, half of the cilinders having being sheared off and the rest hanging in a twisted way. Emerging from the dust like a phantom, he said nothing. The pointed gun and his eyes spoke enough.

The two A-Class were fast. Mercury and OFF were faster.

The screech of Major as she was pinned down was more of frustration than actual pain. Death Gatling lacked the chance to do the same.

"Moron." OFF hissed at her, his breath almost scalding. "You should have used the chance your friend gave you to escape."

In all answer, Major writhed uselessly under the massive paw of the monster. She wasn't leaving without Bang nor without his kohai, no matter what. It didn't matter if she was completely out of her depths, it didn't matter if her power didn't hold a candle to those monsters. She wasn't escaping, never. If she did, she'd never be able to watch herself into the mirror. Better death!

She was roughly yanked up. She screeched when her arm bounced against something, but managed to bit her tortured lip as the monster's massive hand grabbed her head, forcing her to watch.

Powerless to do anything else, she did just that, seething with anger and frustration.

Blacktail was stepping lightly toward the bloodied form of Bang, her long cape fluttering behind her.

"You need not to fear, my friend." She said, tone calm, conversational almost. "I don't want to hurt him. Not like it is possible." She added the last bit like it was supposed to be a joke. Hers, was the only chuckle.

Major tried to struggle, but in all answer the vice on her head increased its pressure. Pain licked at her scalp, but she forced herself to ignore it.

"On the contrary, i want to save him. Why, i'll gift him something that your kind holds in high esteem, if i recall correctly."

Despite everything, Major felt a flicker of hope, even if coupled by ugly foreboding.

"And what that be?" She asked through gritted teeth.

Blacktail walked around Bang's fallen form, her long tail brushing him along the chest and and on the cheek

"Such strong determination, such talent and ability. Rare indeed." She commented with a pleased smile. She stopped behind the kneeling old man. "It's something that should be preserved, don't you think?"

Major watched with bated breath as her long tail stopped above Bang, the point aimed toward his head. It opened like an iron flower, showing an interior bubbling with a tar-like substance.

Sudden alarm gripped her. She struggled, tried to get free, but there was no escaping the monster's iron grip.

"Wai…!"

Barely a sillable had come out from her lips that the tail drew back and spat. Bang crumpled under a glob of the tar-like substance, that immediately started to expand over him like a living creature.

"What are you doing?!" Major screamed in panic.

The glob squirmed and writhed, expanding until Bang had disappeared under it. Then, to Major's horror, it gave a crunch and gathered up, forming into a blob as big as a man's torso.

"Giving him eternity, i suppose." Blacktail said, estending her tail.

Like answering to a command, the substance detached from the ground, floating toward the point of the appendage. The tail punched into it, then retracted, quick as a viper. The blob squirmed and started to contract. It contracted more and more, its features deepening, taking a solid shape. The end-result fell with a metallic thunk into the waiting tail, twisted now into an padle-like form.

The fist-sized statuette resembling Bang in his usual, leaned-forward stance was exquisite in its craftmanship, perfect to the last tiny detail. Major felt horror choking her.

"This one will look good in my collection." Blacktail commented lightly, admiring with satisfactionthe little thing. A swish of movement and the statuette was gone, secreted beneath her cloak. "Now, about you…"

Half-dazed, Major tried to speak, but Blacktail shushed her.

"Hush now. None of your protests, young lady." The woman reproached her lightly. "You and your friend did well, no mistake. But…" Her lips twisted into a small grimace. "So stubborn. You wasted what Bang gave you." Major watched her dumbly. "I fear that a punishment is in order… but don't you worry…"

Major's attention was sucked by the tail pointing at her. Horror surged.

"Maybe in the end, you won't call it a punishment at all…"

She opened her mouth to scream. The darkness caught her before she could.

* * *

Saitama blinked. Slowly, he looked around. Just now, he thought to have felt a strange sensation of deja vu.

"Now now, don't be rude."

Out of instinct, he turned, but the strange sensation tugged at his attention. The rock darted right past his half-assed defence, smacking him straight in the face. It crumbled into pieces, not even fazing him, but the thought remained. What was that?

The strange lady in black and the strange hat was at some distance, watching him with a small smile. It disappeared as she watched him thoughtfully.

"Starting to catch up, mh?"

Saitama blinked. What?

"Better be quick then. Things go on, you know."

More black besties jumped at him. He went to tussle with them, still wondering what the heck was that supposed to mean. Something was not right there. He just couldn't understand what.


End file.
